Trump got a Greenland deal, but he can’t buy back trust

Denmark's “almost blind" faith in the U.S. is unlikely to recover quickly, with a newly inked security agreement failing to quell unease over American intentions.(CN) — Greenland’s Parliament is debating whether to sign off on a newly inked defense agreement with Denmark and the U.S. this month, but trust in President Donald Trump is in shambles, many observers say.Both parliaments of Greenland and Denmark are expected to vouch for the deal, which aims to introduce two new U.S. military bases on the Arctic island and house a vital part of Trump’s Golden Dome air defense project.Greenland is a semiautonomous North American territory under the Kingdom of Denmark that lies on the shortest missile path between Washington and Moscow. Increasing temperatures in the Arctic are introducing new commercial sea routes that are attracting interest from other nations, including China.Since the agreement was signed Sept. 22, Danish researchers and observers have argued the deal doesn’t give the U.S. anything more than a 1951 agreement first revised in 2004 and then in September.Others claim the U.S. has gained a bigger say in which non-NATO nations can invest in Greenland’s infrastructure and natural resources, including rare earth minerals and oil.But most agree that Trump’s approach will have a long-lasting effect on allies’ trust in the U.S.“Something has broken. There has been a serious breach of trust. When a friend acts in such a disrespectful way, some trust needs to be rebuilt," said Múte B. Egede, Greenland’s foreign affairs minister, about the relationship with the U.S. last week.The U.S. president’s talk of a potential military takeover of Greenland threw the entire NATO alliance, and the European Union, into an existential crisis earlier this year.For the first time, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service listed the U.S. alongside Russia and China as external threats in this year’s annual security assessment.Danes and Greenlanders marched towards the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen, protesting against Donald Trump's takeover talk, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Lasse Sørensen/Courthouse News)Over the summer, several Greenlandic academic centers cut future research collaborations with U.S. universities.The Danish Intelligence Service has also alerted local academics to be cautious of ties with U.S. partners over fears about dual-use research, which can be used for both civilian and military purposes.Søren Rud, a historian at Copenhagen University, agreed there has been a fundamental shift in the longtime allies’ relationship.“In my view, the trust between Greenland and the U.S. has suffered a serious breach. It will take a long time, and perhaps a new president, should the relationship become trustworthy again. The same can be said about trust between Denmark and the U.S.,” Rud said in an email.On Truth Social, Trump said last week that preparation for “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!”The statement differs from the common understanding among experts of what the latest security deal entails.“It is probably more about him needing to present the case as a victory, not least leading up to midterms in the U.S. — but it does not encourage building trust,” Rud said.Lin Alexandra Mortensgaard, a researcher from the Danish Institute for International Studies who specializes in international politics in the Arctic, said both Greenland’s and Denmark’s trust in the U.S. is likely at a low point.“But the new agreement is of course an important first step towards rebuilding trust between the three parties, even though trust naturally can’t reemerge on paper alone, or from one day to another,” Mortensgaard said in an email.Many questions remain unanswered, the scholar said, including whether Trump will respect the deal and how his affiliates and supporters in Greenland will move forward.“Tom Dans, Drew Horn, Jeff Landry and more do not seem to have withdrawn their initiatives and interests in Greenland," Mortensgaard said. Dans is the head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, Horn served in the first Trump administration and has business interests in Greenland, and Louisiana Governor Landry volunteered to serve as Trump’s special envoy to the island.“And finally, how do the different parties view the agreement in practice? For example, how will ‘control’ or ‘significant influence’ be understood in relation to investments in critical sectors from non-NATO or non-EU nations?” Mortensgaard added.FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Trust in Trump and the U.S. has declined across much of Europe, including Denmark, said Niels Byrjalsen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen.“I think there will be a lasting effect. In combination with the Trump administration’s overall approach to the transatlantic relationship — questioning security guarantees, opposing the European Union and limiting support for Ukraine — the Greenland issue has been disruptive,” Byrjalsen said in an email.Trump’s latest push to chastise Ukraine, buy Russian oil and waive sanctions on Moscow has further strained relations.“The fundamental — almost blind — trust in the U.S., which has long characterized Denmark and some other European countries, is gone. Nothing is forever, but it will take a long time to rebuild,” said Byrjalsen.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads