Former U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a new round of criticism against the NATO military alliance, questioning its fundamental value and mutual defense commitments. This comes just days after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that his administration's pursuit of a takeover of Greenland would signal the end of the alliance.
Social Media Broadside Targets NATO's Core Principle
On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, Trump took to social media to express deep skepticism about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ZERO FEAR OF NATO WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM," he posted. In his message, he also reiterated familiar grievances about the defense spending levels of other member nations.
This public doubt strikes at the heart of NATO's founding principle: Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. It is worth noting that the alliance has invoked Article 5 only once in its history—following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
Greenland Ambitions Fuel Transatlantic Tensions
Trump's latest comments arrive amidst escalating tensions over his long-stated desire to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. The situation intensified after the White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, refused to rule out the use of military force to achieve this goal.
"President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," Leavitt stated. "The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander in chief's disposal."
Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen responded unequivocally, telling broadcaster TV2, "If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops. That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War."
Republican Allies Express Concern and Pushback
The aggressive posture has also prompted unusual public pushback from within Trump's own party. Senior Republicans have voiced strong concerns about the geopolitical ramifications of a hostile move on Greenland.
Senator Mitch McConnell, the former Republican leader, labeled threats of a takeover "as unseemly as they are counterproductive." Senator James Lankford, a NATO supporter and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emphasized, "We need to not threaten a peaceful nation that's an ally where we have a military base already."
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski added her voice to the dissent, stating she found any discussion of acquiring Greenland by purchase or force "very, very unsettling and certainly concerning."
Trump's combative stance follows a week of heightened military activity, including a recent incursion into Venezuela, raising fears among European allies about his willingness to use force to achieve political objectives. Despite his criticisms, Trump concluded his social media post by asserting, "We will always be there for NATO, even if they won't be there for us." He also claimed credit for pushing NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
