Trump has ordered his special forces chiefs to prepare plans for the invasion of Greenland, though senior military leaders are pushing back against the idea, The Mail on Sunday reported. Sources claim policy hardliners around the president, led by adviser Stephen Miller, have been encouraged by the recent operation to capture Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro.
They are desperate to act swiftly to take control of the island before Russia or China can increase their influence there. British diplomats believe Trump is also motivated by a desire to divert public attention from concerns about the US economy ahead of this year's midterm elections, which could see Democrats regain control of Congress.
Marching Toward Greenland
However, such a drastic step would place him on a collision course with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and could effectively trigger the breakdown of NATO. Sources say that the president has requested the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to develop plans for the operation, but the proposal is facing strong opposition from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who argue that an invasion would be unlawful and would not receive congressional support.
"They have tried to distract Trump by talking about less controversial measures, such as intercepting Russian 'ghost' ships - a clandestine network of hundreds of vessels operated by Moscow to evade Western sanctions - or launching a strike on Iran," one source told the outlet.
Diplomats have reportedly run through what they call an "escalatory scenario," in which Trump could use military force or political pressure to break Greenland's ties with Denmark.
One diplomatic cable warns that the worst-case outcome of such a move would be NATO effectively tearing itself apart from within.
It adds: "Some European officials suspect this is the real aim of the hardline MAGA faction around Trump. Since Congress would not allow Trump to exit Nato, occupying Greenland could force the Europeans to abandon Nato. If Trump wants to end Nato, this might be the most convenient way to do it."
Fueling Internal Conflict
Under what is described as a "compromise scenario," Denmark would agree to grant Trump full military access to Greenland while blocking Russia and China from gaining a foothold there. While the United States already enjoys broad access to the island, the arrangement would formalize that access and place it on a clear legal footing, the outlet reported.
The cable says: "For domestic political reasons, Trump can start with an escalatory scenario which shifts to a compromise scenario.
"European officials fear that, for Trump, the window of opportunity before the mid-terms is closing in the summer, therefore action is expected sooner rather than later. The Nato summit on July 7 seems like the natural timing for a compromise deal."
The cable concludes: "The current concerns [about an invasion] are driven by the most extreme views coming from Stephen Miller. The UK's positioning will be key - whether it sticks closely with European allies or breaks ranks [to sanction Trump's approach]."
A diplomatic source told the outlet: "The generals think Trump's Greenland plan is crazy and illegal. So they are trying to deflect him with other major military operations. They say it's like dealing with a five-year-old."
