US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would "always" stand by the NATO military alliance, amid alarm among European allies over his stated aim of controlling Greenland, DPA reports.
"We will always be there for NATO, even if they won’t be there for us," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
Trump added that Russia and China would not "fear" NATO if the United States were not part of the alliance. "EVERYONE IS LUCKY THAT I REBUILT OUR MILITARY IN MY FIRST TERM, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO," he wrote.
The comments come as concerns grow over US commitment to the alliance following Trump’s recent remarks that the United States “needs” to take control of Greenland for security reasons.
Greenland is a largely autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member. The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have firmly rejected Trump’s efforts to acquire or annex the sparsely populated Arctic island. Trump has not ruled out using military force to pursue the goal.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that Trump was considering a range of ideas and that "utilizing the US military is always an option."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a US attack on another NATO member would shatter the alliance.
"If the United States decides to militarily attack another NATO country, then everything would stop – that includes NATO and therefore post-WWII security," she said this week.
NATO currently has 32 member states. At the core of the alliance is Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which commits members to collective defence, stipulating that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all.
Greenland is about four-fifths covered by ice and has a population of fewer than 57,000. Trump has framed its acquisition as part of a growing strategic contest in the Arctic involving powers such as China and Russia, as well as a way to secure access to critical minerals.
