Trump Orders Military Contingency Plans for Greenland Invasion, Sparking Pentagon Backlash

The Trump administration has escalated its long-standing interest in Greenland from diplomatic proposals to active contingency planning for potential military action. According to reports, Donald Trump has directed the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to develop detailed plans for a possible invasion of the world’s largest island, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.

This shift appears driven by influential hardline advisers, including political strategist Stephen Miller, who have been emboldened by the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro. Proponents within the administration argue that Greenland’s vast untapped natural resources—particularly rare earth minerals—and its critical strategic position in the Arctic make it essential for countering potential moves by Russia or China in the region.

The directive has reportedly created a significant rift within the Pentagon. Senior military leaders, including members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have strongly opposed the idea, describing it as unlawful, lacking congressional authorization, and fraught with severe diplomatic repercussions. Critics within the military establishment warn that such an operation would severely damage America’s global standing, alienate key NATO allies (including Denmark), and risk fracturing the transatlantic alliance.

In response, some Pentagon officials are said to be employing diversionary tactics, presenting alternative high-profile military scenarios—such as intercepting Russian shadow fleet vessels in international waters or launching major strikes against Iran—to redirect the president’s focus away from Greenland.

This development underscores growing concerns about instability in U.S. foreign policy decision-making, where territorial ambitions in the Arctic could undermine long-established international norms and alliances. Denmark and Greenlandic leaders have firmly rejected any notion of annexation, emphasizing that the island’s future remains in the hands of its people, while European capitals express alarm over Washington’s apparent drift toward unilateralism and disregard for sovereign boundaries.

Trump has publicly insisted that the U.S. must secure Greenland “whether they like it or not,” framing it as a vital national security imperative to prevent rival powers from gaining a foothold—though existing defense agreements already grant the United States substantial military access to the territory.