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President Donald Trump insisted Tuesday that the United States, rather than its NATO ally Denmark, should hold control over Greenland, a declaration that reignited European diplomatic controversy even as the military alliance rolled out billions of dollars in new arms agreements.
The president characterized the territory as “an important part” for the United States. He also reasserted claims that the island is encircled by Russian and Chinese vessels, vowing to protect Greenland from foreign threats.
“That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” he told journalists during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace in Ankara.
The statements are poised to unsettle members of the 32-nation alliance, which operates on a core mandate of collective territorial defense rather than territorial acquisition. At the summit, European officials and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte were already working intensely to address President Trump’s criticism that European partners underfund their own defense operations.
Separately, President Trump announced plans Tuesday to rescind U.S. sanctions against Turkey. The economic penalties were originally implemented after Ankara acquired a Russian air defense system, an action that previously resulted in Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 fighter jet program. The move signaled the president’s close rapport with Erdogan, who is hosting the alliance’s summit.
Turkey was barred from the F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 after it purchased Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems. The purchase ignited years of diplomatic friction between Washington and Ankara, despite the strong personal ties between Trump and Erdogan that trace back to the U.S. president’s initial term.
While the removal of sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act would ease the path forward, several legal parameters remain to be met before Turkey can fully rejoin the F-35 program. Re-establishing access to the stealth jets is a primary objective for Erdogan, and Trump has repeatedly indicated a deal would eventually materialize.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off, OK?” Trump told reporters while seated with Erdogan. He noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are actively handling the matter.
