Donald Trump has defused a standoff he created with European allies. At a gathering of world leaders last week in Switzerland, the president dropped talk of military and economic conflict over Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Trump, who earlier spoke of making the strategically located Arctic Circle island an American territory, now reportedly wants control over small pockets of Greenland around U.S. military sites already there. He said he wouldn't use force there and withdrew a threat of additional tariffs for European allies that resisted his push to "own" Greenland.

Trump said he and Mark Rutte, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (INATO), "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic region." Neither leader gave details. The pending agreement, which also is said to envision a greater military presence in the area by NATO members, will be negotiated with a U.S. team led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Greenland covers about 850,000 square miles (mostly ice), has about 55,000 people and anchors a maritime route that Russia's Northern Fleet must use to reach the Atlantic. Our country has an airbase there for missile defense and space surveillance.

NATO is a 32-nation security alliance among America, Western Europe and other countries that began in 1949 and is the world's strongest defense agreement. A statement from the organization says: "Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland." Denmark insists its sovereignty (authority) over the island isn't up for discussion, a point reinforced by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland: "We are ready to discuss a lot of things and we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on. But sovereignty is a red line."

Trump's original talk of possibly using force to take over the Arctic country risked a trade war with Europe and destruction of the alliance that has underpinned Western security since the end of World War II. A 1951 U.S.-Danish agreement allows Pentagon military installations on Greenland, including all the things Trump says are needed to ensure America's safety as Russia and China step up activity in the region: deep-water ports, radar stations, long runways, icebreakers, army and naval bases, launch sites, and a missile defense shield. Denmark increased Arctic security spending by $13.7 billion in 2025.

Greenland's prime minister says: "We cannot cross the red lines. We have to respect our territorial integrity. We have to respect international law and sovereignty." -- Jens-Frederik Nielsen

NATO leader says: "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO nations." – Mark Rutte, alliance's secretary general

Danish politician says: "I'm glad he's ruling out military force. . . . Of course, we still insist that we are not handing over Greenland.” -- Rasmus Jarlov, Parliament member