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

In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump's ambitions for Greenland nearly derailed NATO, but instead, secured a bigger say in the island's future. The new defense agreement between the United States and Denmark puts an end to the standoff, but some question if it was worth the cost. The trans-Atlantic distrust created since the end of 2024 seems like a high price to pay for incremental gains.

However, Greenland itself may be the real winner in this ordeal. The promised investments and contracts may not fully materialize, but the episode marks a significant step forward in the island's push for greater autonomy and a more influential seat at the table. Greenland, the world's largest island with about 56,000 mostly Inuit people, had been considered a colony until the early 1950s.

The progress towards self-determination has been slow, with Greenland becoming a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark only in 2009. However, defense and foreign affairs remained under Danish control. The new agreement is a noticeable change, as Greenland itself is at the table signing this deal, a first-time event in its quest for more self-autonomy.