Trump’s Greenland ambitions almost broke NATO. Instead, the island of 56,000 people just secured a bigger say in its own future

In the end, it was all kisses and laughter as U.S.

President Donald Trump hailed his “fantastic” relationship with Denmark and Greenland after signing a new security deal that America’s European allies hope will close one of the most dangerous chapters in transatlantic relations.

Trump’s territorial ambitions over Greenland almost broke the NATO military alliance and shattered trust with one of America’s oldest and closest partners.

The new defense agreement puts an end to the standoff.

But was it worth the cost? While the new defense agreement is a bit broader, the United States already had extensive military access under an existing 1951 deal and all the gains laid out in the agreement signed on the sidelines of the U.N.

General Assembly on Tuesday could, ostensibly, have been achieved by asking nicely a year ago.

The trans-Atlantic distrust created since the end of 2024 seems a very high price to pay for what may ultimately be a fairly incremental gain.

Interestingly, one place may emerge from this standoff as the real winner: Greenland itself.

The promised investments and contracts may never fully materialize, but the episode marks a major step forward in its push for greater autonomy and a more influential seat at the table.

Greenland is no longer merely the subject of foreign policy decided by its former colonial rulers.

Increasingly, it is helping to shape it.

There’s been progress toward self-determination “A notable change is Greenland itself at the table today, signing this agreement,” said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen speaking to a room cram packed with journalists and officials at the UN to witness the signing of the deal.

That’s an understatement.

The world’s largest island, home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people, was still considered a colony until the early 1950s.