• Germany, France, Britain, Canada send personnel for Operation Arctic Endurance
• Karoline Leavitt says European troops won’t impact Trump’s decision-making
• Wednesday talks between US and Danish officials yield “fundamental disagreement”

NUUK, GREENLAND (TDR) — Military personnel from Germany, France, Britain and Canada began arriving in Greenland Thursday as part of a multinational NATO operation, hours after the White House declared the deployments would have zero impact on President Donald Trump’s plans to forcibly acquire the Arctic island from Denmark.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the European military presence “will not impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all.”

“I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” Leavitt said at Thursday’s White House briefing.

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The deployments come as high-stakes talks between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio failed to resolve what Denmark calls a “fundamental disagreement” over the island’s future.

Unprecedented NATO Deterrence Against US

Germany’s Bundeswehr deployed a 13-member reconnaissance team to Greenland’s capital Nuuk on Thursday, while France sent 15 soldiers from its mountain infantry unit. Britain, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Finland and Estonia have all confirmed troop deployments as part of Denmark’s Operation Arctic Endurance exercise.

“At the request of Denmark, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland,” French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday, adding that “the first French military elements are already on their way. Others will follow.”

The German Defense Ministry said the deployment aims “to explore options for ensuring security in light of Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic,” though European officials privately acknowledge the mission functions as a political tripwire against potential US military action.

“Members of the alliance are putting together a tripwire to try to deter Donald Trump, and what that tells you is we are very much in unprecedented times where we could very much be facing tomorrow, next week, next month American troops pointing their guns at Danish troops,” political scientist Steve Saideman told CBC News.

Trump Doubles Down On Annexation Push

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Trump has repeatedly insisted US control of Greenland is essential for national security, specifically citing the need for his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system and warning that Russia or China will seize the territory if America doesn’t.

“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!” Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday.

In the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump told reporters the US “really need it” and claimed Denmark is powerless to defend the island.

“If we don’t go in, Russia is going to go in, and China is going to go in. And there’s not a thing Denmark can do about it, but we can do everything about it,” Trump said.

The president has refused to rule out military force, saying he was “going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not” during a press conference last week.

White House Press Secretary Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option” at the Commander in Chief’s disposal for acquiring Greenland.

Wednesday Talks Yield No Progress

After meeting with Vance and Rubio for what the White House characterized as “technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland,” Danish and Greenlandic officials made clear they reject US control.

“It’s clear the president has this wish of conquering Greenland. We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree,” Rasmussen told reporters after the meeting.

The Danish foreign minister called Trump’s acquisition push “totally unacceptable” to the people of both Denmark and Greenland, though he characterized the conversation with US officials as “frank but also constructive.”

“We, the kingdom of Denmark, continue to believe that the long-term security of Greenland can be ensured inside the current framework, the 1951 agreement on the defense of Greenland, as well as the NATO treaty,” Rasmussen said.

The two sides agreed to create a high-level working group to explore potential common ground, though no timeline was specified for those discussions.

NATO Alliance In Crisis

Denmark has warned that any US military move against Greenland would effectively end NATO, raising the prospect of the alliance’s largest member annexing territory from another member state.

Denmark announced Wednesday it was expanding its military presence “in and around Greenland” in close cooperation with NATO allies, a signal of European unity aimed at convincing Trump that an American takeover is unnecessary for Arctic security.

German officials told newspaper BILD that operations are being coordinated from Copenhagen rather than NATO headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, to prevent US involvement in the planning.

“Greenland does not want to be owned, governed or integrated into the United States. Greenland has made the choice of Denmark, NATO, European Union,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told French RTL.

American Public Opposes Military Action

A new poll from YouGov and The Economist found that 68 percent of Americans oppose taking Greenland by force, with only 8 percent supporting military action.

Some Republican lawmakers have signaled potential opposition to Trump’s plans. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) told the Omaha World-Herald that House Republicans would have to “lean toward” impeaching the president if he follows through on using military force against Greenland.

“I’ll be candid with you. There’s so many Republicans mad about this,” Bacon said.

A bipartisan congressional delegation led by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) met with Danish and Greenlandic officials Friday in Copenhagen to show support for the island’s territorial integrity despite Trump’s threats.

Will NATO allies’ military presence in Greenland deter Trump’s acquisition plans, or is the White House prepared to fracture the Western alliance over control of the Arctic island?

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