NUUK, Greenland — The idea that Denmark, or even Europe, could defend Greenland against the U.S. military was widely ridiculed within the White House. Denmark was labeled “irrelevant,” and Europe was depicted as weak. If President Trump decided to seize this Arctic island, his administration believed it woudl be easily done.
Though, Europe did defend Greenland. the threat of a strong economic response from the European Union rattled U.S. markets. Trump retreated from his long-held ambition to acquire the territory—and Denmark, a small nation, succeeded in securing relief from American pressure that threatened its sovereignty.
“We’ll get by with a little help from our friends,” Denmark’s Prime minister Mette Frederiksen wrote in a guest book at Chequers on Thursday, quoting the Beatles while visiting with the British Prime Minister.
The possibility of conflict hasn’t vanished. In Nuuk on Friday, Frederiksen comforted concerned locals after meeting with Greenlandic leaders at a government office on the capital’s main street. She wouldn’t comment on whether tensions with Washington had eased.
The Greenland crisis marks a turning point for U.S. allies. Leaders, meeting in Davos, Switzerland last week, stopped pretending everything is fine with Washington and acknowledged a new reality. “The middle powers must act togethe
