Trump orders US army to prepare 'contingency plans' to 'invade Greenland': Report

US President Donald Trump has asked senior military commanders to prepare contingency plans for a possible invasion of Greenland, the UK-based Daily Mail reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic and defence sources familiar with the discussions.

According to the report, Trump directed the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to explore military options for taking control of the Arctic territory, a move that has allegedly alarmed senior officials within the US defence establishment.

The Daily Mail said the proposal has met resistance from top military leaders, including members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who are said to have raised concerns over the legality of any such action and the absence of congressional authorisation.

ET Online could not independently corroborate the details or claims made in the Daily Mail report.

‘Generals trying to deflect him’

The Daily Mail quoted unnamed diplomatic sources as saying senior US military officials believe Trump’s Greenland proposal is neither lawful nor politically viable. One diplomat told the newspaper, “The generals think Trump's Greenland plan is crazy and illegal. So they are trying to deflect him with other major military operations. They say it's like dealing with a five-year-old.”

According to the report, military leaders have attempted to redirect the president’s focus toward less contentious actions. “They have tried to distract Trump by talking about less controversial measures, such as intercepting Russian 'ghost' ships … or launching a strike on Iran,” a source told the Mail.

The newspaper said these so-called “ghost ships” refer to a network of vessels allegedly used by Russia to bypass Western sanctions.

The Daily Mail further reported that hardline figures within Trump’s inner circle have grown more assertive in recent weeks, particularly after what they regard as a successful US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Sources told the newspaper that policy “hawks”, led by senior adviser Stephen Miller, are now pressing for swift action to secure Greenland, arguing that delays could allow Russia or China to expand their strategic footprint in the Arctic.

The report said these officials believe Greenland’s geographic location and natural resources make it critical to US national security.

Midterm politics and NATO risks

Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland may also be shaped by domestic political considerations, the Daily Mail reported, citing British diplomatic sources. With US midterm elections approaching later this year, the newspaper said there is concern within diplomatic circles that the president could pursue a dramatic foreign policy move to divert attention from economic anxieties at home.

Such an action, the report warned, could place Washington on a collision course with European allies and potentially trigger a severe crisis within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

According to the Mail, diplomatic officials have conducted internal war-gaming exercises exploring an “escalatory scenario” in which Trump could apply military force or sustained political pressure to weaken Greenland’s ties with Denmark.

A classified diplomatic cable cited by the newspaper reportedly outlined a “worst-case” scenario that would lead to “the destruction of Nato from the inside.”

“Some European officials suspect this is the real aim of the hardline MAGA faction around Trump,” the report said, adding that “If Trump wants to end Nato, this might be the most convenient way to do it.”

Greenland leaders reject US pressure

The Daily Mail report comes amid growing resistance from Greenland’s political leadership. On Saturday, leaders of five political parties in Greenland’s parliament issued a joint statement rejecting what they described as US pressure to seize the autonomous Danish territory.

“We don't want to be Americans, we don't want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said, adding that “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”

Their remarks followed fresh comments by Trump, in which he reiterated that the US would have to take action on Greenland to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence in the region.

Trump's ‘hard way’ warning

Speaking to reporters, Trump said Washington could not allow Moscow or Beijing to become its “neighbours”.

“We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not,” he said. “If we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland — and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour.”

Trump added, “I would like to make a deal the easy way but if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way.”

Referring to Denmark’s claim over Greenland, he said, “The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land.”

Denmark has warned that its troops are under orders to respond forcefully if Greenland comes under attack, amid growing unease in Europe over the US president openly discussing possible military action against the territory.

Earlier, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected Trump’s assertion that the US “needs” Greenland for security reasons, calling such claims unacceptable.

The escalating rhetoric has deepened concerns among European allies over the future of transatlantic relations and the stability of Nato should Washington pursue any unilateral action involving Greenland.