And it came just hours after Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio had extracted the United States from dozens of international organisations intended to foster multinational co-operation. When asked what was his higher priority, obtaining Greenland or preserving Nato, Trump declined to answer directly, but acknowledged “it may be a choice”. He made clear that the transatlantic alliance was essentially useless without the United States at its core. The president’s insistence that Greenland must become part of the United States was a prime example of his worldview. “You didn’t have people pouring into China,” he argued, repeating his oft-made claim that Maduro dumped gang members into the United States.

Source: International New York Times January 09, 2026 14:28 UTC