Donald Trump Orders Army Chiefs to Draw Up Plan to Invade NATO Ally Greenland
President Trump has directed the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to prepare an invasion plan for Greenland, according to sources cited by the Mail on Sunday. Political adviser Stephen Miller and other administration hawks have accelerated this effort following the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, viewing the window of opportunity as closing before mid-term elections later in 2026.
Senior military officials, including the joint chiefs of staff, are resisting the directive on grounds that an invasion would be illegal and lack Congressional support. Military sources describe Trump’s demands as unrealistic, with one comparing the situation to “dealing with a five-year-old.” The generals have attempted deflection by proposing alternative military operations, such as intercepting Russian “ghost” ships or launching strikes on Iran.
British diplomats have war-gamed scenarios involving Trump using force or political coercion to sever Greenland’s ties to Denmark, including a “worst-case scenario” described as leading to “the destruction of NATO from the inside.” Diplomatic cables indicate that Trump could advance from escalatory demands to a “compromise scenario” in which Denmark grants full military access to Greenland and denies it to Russia and China, with a NATO summit in July identified as potential timing for such a deal.
Trump previously declared he would acquire Greenland “easy way” or “hard way” regardless of local consent or Danish sovereignty. The administration has also discussed direct cash payments to Greenland’s 57,000 residents, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, as a strategy to encourage secession from Denmark.
Diplomatic sources suspect that dismantling NATO may be Trump’s actual objective, with one cable stating: “If Trump wants to end NATO, this might be the most convenient way to do it.” European officials fear Trump will act before the summer mid-term window closes, making early 2026 the likely timeframe for escalatory moves. The UK’s alignment with European allies or breakaway support for Trump’s approach will be critical to the outcome.