Former national security adviser John Bolton warned Tuesday that Americans may not fully grasp the “harm” President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to acquire Greenland could inflict on US security, calling a potential outcome a catastrophic “two-for-one.”
Bolton Warns Greenland Push Risks Losing NATO
In a post on X, Bolton wrote, “Trump has said the issue of the Arctic as a choice between Greenland and NATO. For the White House, it’s a two-for-one: Take Greenland and lose NATO. I don’t think Americans fully understand how much harm this would cause our national security.”
Bolton attached a clip of his Monday interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto, where he said, “On a good day, Trump is indifferent to NATO,” as the president’s Greenland push continues to unsettle allies.
“He said, again, publicly, within the past couple of weeks, this may be a choice … between Greenland and NATO,” Bolton added. He told Sciutto that using military force against the island would spark a “political earthquake” in the United States, including growing dissent inside the Republican Party.
Trump Casts Greenland As Arctic Security Priority
Trump has long argued that acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, is a US national security priority to counter Russia and China in the Arctic. The White House said this month that Trump is weighing options for acquiring the island “including potential use of the US military,” even as it maintains that diplomacy is the preferred path.
Tariff Threats Deepen Rift With NATO Allies
Trump has also wielded trade pressure. He has threatened escalating tariffs starting Feb. 1 on Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until Washington is allowed to buy the island of roughly 57,000 people, a move that has drawn sharp pushback from European leaders and sparked a Republican revolt at home.
House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has warned that invading Greenland would be “war with NATO itself,” while other Republicans have called the tariff plan “bad for America” and helpful to US rivals.
The clash comes as Trump heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos and EU leaders prepare emergency talks on possible retaliatory measures, including a new “anti-coercion” tool that could restrict US access to European markets.
Image via Shutterstock/ Christopher Halloran
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