How Would Defending Greenland Actually Work?

On the island territory of Greenland, one thing is oh so clear. The status quo cannot hold. In the opening weeks of 2026, the NATO alliance has been pushed to the rink of failure as European and Canadian leaders try with all their might to shut down Washington's dog of an outright takeover.

US President Donald Trump wants to see the US flag flying over Greenland. America's closest allies since the start of the Cold War insist the island belongs to Denmark. And they also say that changing its ownership by force would be an ultimate and final betrayal.

There are two paths laid out before Greenland's 57,000 residents today, one under Uncle Sam and one under, let's say, Uncle Olaf. But at this point, both of those paths share one critical element in common. The future of Greenland is militarized in a way that Greenland hasn't experienced since the height of the Cold War.