Washington: Sharpening his rhetoric on Greenland, US President Donald Trump raised questions about NATO’s reliability, signalling that security<\/b>
\nWashington: Sharpening his rhetoric on Greenland, US President Donald Trump raised questions about NATO\u2019s reliability, signalling that security commitments to Europe could increasingly be tied to economic and strategic leverage.
At a White House news conference marking one year since his return to office, Trump declined to say how far Washington might go to secure US interests related to Greenland. Asked directly, he replied: \u201cYou\u2019ll find out.\u201d
Pressed on whether force was an option, Trump avoided specifics. He pointed instead to economic tools. He said tariffs, licensing and \u201cother alternatives\u201d were available and described them as \u201cthe best, the strongest, the fastest.\u201d
Trump said he had meetings planned on Greenland during his trip to Davos. \u201cWe have a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland,\u201d he said. He added that he believed \u201cthings are going to work out pretty well.\u201d
The president paired those comments with renewed criticism of NATO. He repeated claims that he strengthened the alliance by pushing members to raise defence spending. He said allies agreed to lift spending to 5 per cent of GDP from the long-standing 2 per cent target. \u201cGetting them to go up to five per cent of GDP was something that nobody thought was possible,\u201d he said.
At the same time, Trump questioned whether the alliance would stand with the United States in a crisis. \u201cNATO is only as good as we are,\u201d he said. Without the US, he added, the alliance would not be very strong. He said he had concerns about whether allies would come to Washington\u2019s aid.
Trump said he had improved NATO\u2019s position but remained sceptical of its structure. He argued that the US bears a disproportionate share of the burden. He said his approach forced allies to pay more and buy more from the United States.
He dismissed the idea of attending a proposed G-7 emergency meeting in Paris. Asked if he would go at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said: \u201cNo, I wouldn\u2019t do that.\u201d He questioned Macron\u2019s political longevity and said he preferred meetings with leaders \u201cthat are directly involved.\u201d
Trump said he got along personally with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He added that both countries faced serious problems. He pointed to immigration and energy as Europe\u2019s main challenges. He urged leaders to rethink wind power and use domestic energy resources.
The remarks fit Trump\u2019s broader approach to foreign policy. He often links security guarantees to economic pressure. He argues that tariffs and trade leverage force allies and rivals to negotiate.
Trump said the strategy made the United States richer and more secure. \u201cWe\u2019re the richest we ever were,\u201d he said, crediting pressure tactics for the gains.
Greenland and NATO have taken on added importance as competition grows in the Arctic and Europe. Trump\u2019s comments suggest US policy will continue to tie alliances, territory and trade more closely together.
Stay updated with our WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. For all the latest World updates, download our app Android and iOS.<\/p>\n