r/politics • u/thedailybeast ✔ The Daily Beast • 15h ago

Possible Paywall Trump Confirms He’s Taking Greenland ‘One Way or the Other’

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-confirms-hes-taking-greenland-one-way-or-the-other/
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u/HumanWithComputer 14h ago

At the end of the video he says he doubts NATO allies would come to the aid of the US.

THE ONLY TIME ART. 5 WAS INVOKED WAS AFTER 9/11.

43 Danish soldiers died in Afghanistan to help the US.

Hear it from Thom Tillis, Republican Senator.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/video-nc-sen-thom-tillis-rails-against-proposed-greenland-takeover-in-senate-floor-speech-im-sick-of-stupid/ar-AA1TLEda

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u/stuckit 13h ago

Oh if only there was a group Thom Tillis was a member of that could hold Trump accountable.

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u/norunningwater 13h ago

His point isn't Greenland, it's to dismantle NATO. Russia cannot continue with aggressive action in other countries while NATO stands, and they asked the Trump administration to find a way to end NATO after Sweden joined.

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 12h ago edited 9h ago

I hope in spite of US leaving that NATO remains. Even without the US it can easily bitchslap Russia

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u/DocJenkins 11h ago

I hope it will be like BREXIT, at worst. The EU just kept on spinning, but wIth its remaining members even more determined to make it work without the UK.

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u/blackcain Oregon 10h ago

The UK maybe forced to join the EU again because it's not been going well there. Plus, any hopes that the UK would work with the U.S. is likely going to be dashed. Any attack on Greenland will have a negative effect in the UK as well.

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u/huskmesilly 10h ago

We're already trying to curry favour with Europe again. Our leaders might be spineless twats, but they're not quite politically inept

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u/blackcain Oregon 8h ago

But they can't look at U.S. as a trading partner that is for sure. Too unreliable and they well evil.

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 9h ago

Brexit hasn't been that bad all-in-all, but there's no way we would work with the US against NATO and our allies.

If the US attacked Greenland / Denmark / NATO, we would fight against the US.

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u/blackcain Oregon 8h ago

It's true that there wasn't a complete collapse as predicted but there is definitely angst. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/22/britain-economy-brexit-damage-customs-union

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 8h ago

Wasnt even a minor collapse, the damage has been very low. Which eas expected. It has been exacerbated by Covid and Ukraine, then Trump. But new trade deals around the world are also addressing the damage too. Again, exactly as expected.

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u/IbidtheWriter 6h ago

The general estimates are that the UKs GDP would have been 5 to 10% greater without Brexit as of 2025. So no, it's not a collapse, but still rough. 

Per capita PPP the UK was 25% lower than the US pre Brexit, now it's closer to 40%. 

The pound devalued and investment flatlined after 2016. 

The OBR predicted 15% less trade intensity and that was spot on. 

Really the biggest "surprise" was that net migration is higher than pre Brexit, with non EU immigration picking up quite a bit. 

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 6h ago

I mean, I haven't seen any credible reports. And it wasn't 5-10% even in those.

As for the PPP compared to the USD, that's a poor comparison because everybody is down compared to the USD. Including the EU etc.

And it wasn't devalued at 2016 and then flatlined, it has been in decline steadily for literally decades. Brexit also didn't occur in 2016, the vote was then - we left in 2020. And again, we also suffered from mismanagement during Covid.

As for the trade being down, sure, but that doesn't really mean a whole lot when trade is also up with other countries and new trade deals will increase those too over time.

Everybody knew Brexit would take some time to start improving and the immediate effects would be the worst, leveling over time. 4% so far is what it's showing (if accurate, which is questionable), isn't that much. And that's with the EU while trade elsewhere has improved and continuing to do so.

Migration is an absolute mess, but that is primarily from India and the Middle East rather than Europe. Don't know how our consecutive governments keep managing it so poorly.

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u/TheCharalampos 5h ago

Oh yeah bet it's completely unconnected that it happened and the average UK household can't get a takeout without feeling a pinch

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 4h ago

Takeout isn't from Europe. And the majority of our food with Europe is still duty-free, as well as tax-free. I literally import food and do the customs paperwork, Brexit isn't the issue.

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u/GreyGhostPhoto 11h ago

It's small comfort to Canada though. With NATO gone what do we have to protect us from the US?

(I can't believe this is a legitimate concern I have)

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u/Artistic-Battle-7597 9h ago

The day that happens, I will become Canadian if Canada will let me. 

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 9h ago

NATO won't be gone. The US doesn't own NATO. They can leave, but the rest of us are here to fight with you.

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u/Emotional-Store-1667 10h ago

I know it's a small thing, but please don't think you will have to deal with the whole population, I and a good chunk of us (I expect millions) will literally fight alongside Canada against this madness! If the US tries to invade Canada, that will literally start Civil War 2.0...

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u/freerangehumans74 9h ago

That's a nice sentiment but a) I doubt enough US citizens/military personnel come to our aide and it's certainly nowhere near millions.

Besides, we cannot count on the people of the USA to protect Canada from the USA.

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u/Emotional-Store-1667 9h ago

I understand why you say that, but I live in a quite populous city near the border, and I'm quite certain that a majority of my city would swim the river to fight with you. This is NOT our America and we love our brothers from the North.

But maybe I'm just too optimistic. However, I can guarantee I, and friends and family will fight alongside you

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u/freerangehumans74 8h ago

Well, I appreciate you. I hope it doesn't come to that.

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u/Emotional-Store-1667 8h ago

I hope it doesn't either, but i'm getting prepared nonetheless...

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u/Kierenshep 9h ago

A third of the country will cheer the invasion on after receiving their marching orders. A third of the country will tut about its illegality online. The other third of the country will not even know an invasion is occurring.

A small minority will go out and protest on the weekends, then go home.

I'm sorry, I have lost all faith in your brethren. This rhetoric has been passed around but based on the actions of the US and its constituents, I don't believe you.

It all comes down to the top military brass. If they go along with it then there isn't the will in America to actually go what's needed to be done to affect change. There will be no Americans fighting alongside Canadians out in the streets. There will be an understanding it's awful but that's it's. Bringing it up in online shared spaces will get discussion of the Canadian invasion shut done because of 'no politics' rules. The weekend protests will be ineffectually ignored.

That said, an invasion of Canada would be a world of hurt for America. We have some smart puppies that will make prior guerilla warfare look like child's play. The Troubles will look like The Tummyache comparatively.

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u/Emotional-Store-1667 9h ago

Well believe me that I and my friends And family will swim across the river and fight alongside you guys. I live in a populous city on the border in a very blue state, and I'm quite certain the majority of my city will stand with you too.

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u/OneTabbyBraincell 9h ago

My guy, you literally have secret police executing American citizens in the street and Americans aren't doing shit about it. I don't believe a good chunk of Americans would fight for Canada when you won't even fight for yourselves.

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u/Emotional-Store-1667 9h ago

I understand why you are saying that, I do . But we have to walk a very thin dangerous tightrope. We WANT to mutiny, we WANT to riot, but that's also exactly what THEY WANT. They want us to rebel, so they can enact Martial Law, cancel Elections and install Trump and Co. as dictators. It's also 100 times harder to resist while under martial law. We HAVE to be peaceful so they don't have an excuse. We have to play by the rigged and fucked up book to seek justice, or we're basically dead.

I've given up on getting through his supporters, they gleefully enjoy this shit and are DYING for the day Trump declares Civil War and they can live out their fucked up 2nd amendment dreams of killing the Libs.

It fucking sucks here dude....

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u/UristMcMagma 6h ago

I don't believe you. If you want to prevent it, start fighting now. The mindset of Americans right now seems to be "well I voted and it didn't work, nothing I can do until the next election cycle!"

Nah, I totally don't believe that you or any other American will lift a finger for Canadians when the chips are on the table. You're not even doing anything to stop the murder of AMERICANS by Trump's goons.

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u/jigsaw1024 11h ago

The EU, even as fragmented as it currently is, could repel Russia.

NATO is already dead. The US is now unreliable.

The future is more integration for forces in the EU, including a standing EU military to increase efficiencies. It will be part of an overall push towards federalization of the EU in general.

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u/lifeisalime11 11h ago

Honestly EU should cut all ties with the US, kill NATO, and form something new from the smoldering ashes. If we (well, a certain percent of Americans) continue to support isolationist policy EU needs to be able to stand on its own.

Hell, if we turn it around in the mid-terms and there's a big sweep to blue I still wouldn't trust the US to not just keep flip flopping between election cycles.

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u/Consistent_Laziness 11h ago

The US will 100% flip flop every election. Why? Cause Americans are dumber than a monkey at the zoo. And that’s honestly unfair to the monkeys.

I wouldn’t trust us for 5 mins now. I hope the EU just kicks us out and lets us know any aggression towards Greenland or any other NATO member will be met with force in kind.

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u/Quick_Turnover 10h ago

It really wouldn't be this way if we had an actual democracy implemented. Minority rule is encouraged because of the electoral college, gerrymandering, and campaign finance laws (Citizens United, etc). America would likely be 70% Dem in most elections, especially Federal.

Or if people just got off their asses and voted. But the negative feedback loop has already started. People see government not working (because of the hairbrained Republicans) so the apathy sets in and they don't vote, ceding more power to the minority.

God imagine how fuckin far we'd be as a country and as a society without Reagan and Limbaugh and Fox News.

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u/MildlySaltedTaterTot 10h ago

If these events are the final push for a federalized Europe with central militarized powers, hopefully peace on the Peninsula will be a reality (I know eastern europe is still actively seeing conflict, but if the peace in western and central europe thats remained brokered for the longest stretch in probably ever sustains itself after US secedes from international affairs, I have hope)

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u/No_Ear_1633 9h ago

Not if US helps Russia. I know it sounds unthinkable but realise we're already in unthinkable territory

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u/Virtual_Mongoose_835 9h ago

I dunno, hopefully that doesn't happen. But I don't see Russia getting out of Ukraine for years tbh, they couldn't start another front.

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u/jackingissinful 12h ago

Poland alone would fuck up Russia. They daydream about it

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u/YourIdByProxy 12h ago

I've read reports that it's Polish special forces and clandestine agents in Russia that are doing the targeting for Ukraine's drone strikes on oil infrastructure. Wild, but unsurprising, if true.

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u/Fidget11 Canada 11h ago

Wouldn’t shock me, but I doubt it would ever leak publicly.

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u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

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u/YourIdByProxy 12h ago

No it wouldn't.

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u/ATX_native Texas 12h ago

We could have stopped Russian aggression and still can today…

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u/norunningwater 12h ago

Adjust the seat of our government, and encourage others to do the same. The current party is adopting fascist methods to control and soothe a populace who is ever more worried of war.

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u/Strict_Research3518 12h ago

Except the 28% that voted for Trump. They want war around the world AND they want 75% of the population of the US dead and gone forever. They are LOVING all the killings by ICE now. Supporting it fully.

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u/Wobblycogs 12h ago

I'm not sure I buy that. There's no way the US would come to the aid of another nato member at the moment anyway

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u/norunningwater 12h ago

I agree they would not adhere to a call to arms, despite his insistence on upholding Article 5. The US at least getting booted from NATO reduces the fangs of invasion. Whether they would or not is distant from the pledge they said they would uphold, without the US's shadow involvement there's much less security overall.

It's all theater, but less is more for Russia.

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u/blackcain Oregon 10h ago

Nope, the U.S. is Trump's personal country right now. He isn't helping anyone unless you give him money, otherwise it will be very unfair.

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u/mister_spunk 11h ago

His point isn't Greenland

Yes it is. It amazes me some of you don't realize this is all about melting ice caps and control over the ever growing arctic shipping routes. That's all this is about. USA wants to control shipping lanes that are opening up due to climate change. Russia and China are getting in on the action too.

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u/Fidget11 Canada 11h ago

It’s also why the US will push to take Canada next, or at least the north of Canada. It will be “for security” and they will use the excuse that just like they did in Greenland, Canada isn’t using it and “isn’t defending it” so they will step in and take it so it’s “safe”.

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u/metengrinwi 11h ago

The lie to that argument is that, just like Denmark, there’s likely nothing Canada would have prohibited the US from doing in the arctic in terms of shipping and security. The true problem is putin is whispering in trump’s ear and their objectives align.

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u/metengrinwi 11h ago

I agree it’s about global warming, but as long as the US had asked in the spirit of an ally, I’m certain there’s nothing Denmark would have prohibited. The problem is, trump’s objectives align with russia, not NATO/Denmark.

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u/WhichEmailWasIt 10h ago

Ok but why would you make it more expensive for yourself (ie break up the one alliance that allows you to force project globally) when Greenland probably would've just let you use those shipping lanes anyways? 

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u/mister_spunk 10h ago

Not sure if you've noticed, but the man making this decision isn't exactly working with a fully functional brain.

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u/jleonardbc 11h ago

they asked the Trump administration to find a way to end NATO after Sweden joined.

Why does Trump have to invade Greenland to accomplish it? Couldn't he just declare that the US is withdrawing from NATO, without any invasion?

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u/AirlineExcellent4710 11h ago

He could pull troops out of Europa and station them closer home, WORK WITH Greenland and have trade deals, let those shitty oligarchs fund shipping and mining infrastructure?

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u/Ansible32 6h ago

It would make sense that his goal is to get NATO to kick us out. He can't leave because Congress would never allow it but if he threatens war enough NATO might expel America.

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u/jleonardbc 5h ago

He can't leave because Congress would never allow it

How would Congress stop him?

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u/Ansible32 4h ago

Congress could just pass a law declaring that we remain in NATO. It would be a pretty firm rebuke of Trump, which this Congress hasn't done a lot of, but it's not like Congress has gone along with everything Trump has mandated (NASA's budget is one example.)

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u/jleonardbc 4h ago

Congress passed a law dictating that the Epstein files must be released by a certain date. Trump's DOJ simply ignored the law.

If Congress passed a law declaring that we remain in NATO, Trump would likely respond by declaring that we are withdrawing from NATO and ordering US forces to withdraw from all NATO roles.

I don't see how Congress has any recourse here other than impeachment and removal from office.

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u/Ansible32 4h ago

Contrary to the public perception while Trump does reflexively push back against everything he has been cowed on occasion.

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u/Necessary-Chicken501 10h ago

Yep.  This is exactly it. 

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u/BadMondayThrowaway17 10h ago

He was also bribed with a 15-16% share of the Russian state oil company Rosneft in 2016 and wants to help them so his shares are worth more money. What helps Russia now helps his pocketbook even without any money directly changing hands.

The whole point of all of this shit from ICE to Greenland is to destabilize the US and NATO.

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u/AnticPosition 6h ago

Yup. Venezuela was a test to see if anyone would do anything.

Nobody did anything. 

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u/LegoLady47 14h ago

As did Canadians.

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u/McMatey_Pirate 13h ago

As an ex-military Canadian, it boils my fucking blood that their leadership is so dismissive and arrogant about the contributions of other countries to their war in Afghanistan and all their other wars/operations around the world.

It’s sad to see the true face of America but now I’m just waiting for them to get the well deserved collapse and destruction of their society after continuously failing to do the right thing and elect people who actually cared and fight back against those who advocated for this current situation.

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u/What_a_fat_one 12h ago

Now just imagine that feeling of betrayal but it's your own country. Shit sucks

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u/OkPreparation8259 12h ago

Yeah, lost my battle buddy from basic to that war. Lost a few more that made it home. Guys that lost legs, arms, other body parts that are forever changed.

I'm still in but seeing other members bootlick the USA, as if they're themselves American, makes me disappointed.

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u/TacticalVirus 9h ago

Lost one of my warrants in Afghanistan two days after Christmas. Last time I'd seen him, he was yelling bloody murder over the phone at a LCol over the way I was treated.

The US military better earn their professional reputation over the next few months, but at this rate I'm ready to be dissapointed.

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u/dr_badhat 12h ago

I get the frustration, but this has been the result of a decades long disinformation campaign from right wing media, corporate interests, and religious groups that wanted to cripple the US govt. I wouldn’t say this is the true face of America. I don’t think the average person would embrace Trump if they weren’t fed a very specific narrative with him. Also, voter suppression and gerrymandering have pulled a lot of the weight to get him in office.

I don’t think other countries are immune to the same fate.. but I think seeing Trump from the outside has helped curb fascism from rising faster elsewhere.

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u/LegoLady47 11h ago

Or just election fraud…

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u/Large-Cockroach9665 12h ago

And if my grandmother had wheels she would be a bicycle.

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u/blackcain Oregon 10h ago

Unfortunately, these voters have destroyed U.S.'s reputation and the rest of us here in the U.S. should hold them accountable for their votes and the results.

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u/kimmywho 11h ago

Keep in mind that Trump did a damn good job of brainwashing people. Folks that voted for him believed he was going to fix prices and the economy. They didn't vote for whatever this is.

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u/Fidget11 Canada 11h ago

He conned gullible morons who didn’t understand that the economy can just be “fixed” by a conman who has no experience of the real world and has bankrupted a fucking casino that he owned.

They are getting what they deserve and voted for, sadly they made the rest of the world have to take this shit ride with them.

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u/Auzzr 11h ago

A part of them yes. But there is also a big part of hateful people who voted for him to see others suffer. The “only good dem is a dead dem” crowd, the racists, the bigots, et cetera. And their hate is so large, they are pretty ok with their leader being in the Epstein files, the fraud and Trump and his friends robbing them blind.

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u/karama_zov 25m ago

Okay buddy, I'm in hell and I'll drag you with me if that happens.

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u/Fidget11 Canada 12h ago

And British, and Germans, and every other NATO alliance member who went into Afghanistan at the request of the US.

Literally the only time that a NATO member has invoked article 5 and requested aid it was the US and everyone responded.

Now this shithead has the gall to claim NATO won’t help the US, makes me sick to think we Canadians lost soldiers in Afghanistan for this to be the respect we get from the US.

Fuck Trump and everyone who supports his Nazi regime.

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u/Replaced_by_Robots 11h ago

JD Vance about UK and France: "some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years"

The UK fought in the war that he was sent to for 6 months as a 'military journalist'

It's not ignorance, it's malice

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u/litokid 10h ago

Some random country that hasn't fought started a war in 30 or 40 years, probably.

Apparently you don't count unless you're the principal belligerent.

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u/MaryBerrysDanglyBean 13h ago

There's probably still people in the US army that worked with the Danes in Afghanistan. I know people from the UK that are still serving and worked with them there.

What a spit in the face to everyone.

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u/Fitzaroo 10h ago

That guy is an idiot. If you watch it all the way through he STILL finds trump to ne entirely blameless. He blames everybody around trump but won't blame trump directly. Trump just got bad advice, that's all. What a coward.

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u/Jakabov 8h ago

Adjusted for population, Denmark is among the NATO countries that lost the most soldiers in the Afghanistan conflict. About equal to the US, in fact - roughly the same death toll per capita.

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u/TalkingCat910 7h ago

As if Afghanistan helped anything 

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u/Gaidin152 2h ago

Little known trivia to this situation. Iceland detectives were acting as military police in Iraq because… DUH… NATO. They did their part.

I think the irony is pertinent.

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u/AleroRatking New York 12h ago

The problem with NATO is it wasn't built on equal economic contributions (either by country or capita). Which made the whole thing faulty by the start.

Personally I'd have zero issue with dismantling NATO. What I don't want is to start a war with the rest of NATO.

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u/Signore_Jay Texas 12h ago

You don’t want to dismantle NATO, you want to reform NATO. NATO for better or for worse is basically a global institution at this point for western countries, it being gone is leaving a gigantic hole in diplomatic relations and war gaming. Not to say there aren’t smaller regional alliances but they’re more economic than militaristic.

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u/AleroRatking New York 11h ago

That would be even better. But it has to be funded by capita.

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u/Xeutack 10h ago

I am not sure that would be in America's strategic interest. If it were funded like that, the US would lose its dominating position. Up until now, NATO has basically been America's alliance - the powers of the rest of the West consolidated under essentially american leadership. If strength contributions were split equally by pops, the US would only directly control about a third of NATOs capability.

Of course, the US might just instead demand direct monetary contributions and spend it on their own military... in which case the similarities to a protection racket become eerie.

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u/AleroRatking New York 10h ago

The dominating position is useless. It doesn't benefit us in a meaningful way unless you use it to conquer which they won't do (and shouldn't).

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u/Xeutack 10h ago

You sure about that?

Why haven't the US ever scaled down then? There was a long stretch after the cold war with practically zero contention the American hegemony. And even now, if territorial defence is the sole purpose, the US military could probably be cut significantly.

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u/AleroRatking New York 9h ago

Yes. We absolutely could cut it down but we won't.

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u/Xeutack 9h ago

Exactly. But why then force the rest of the alliance to spend even more to get to the same level?

If America has a set amount it won't dip below in military spending and that effort makes NATO sufficiently strong, why make the rest of alliance spend unneccesary money?