Donald Trump Links US Troops in Europe to Greenland, Iran Support

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (US time) explicitly suggested that American military presence in Europe will depend entirely on whether allies cooperate on his ambitions for Greenland and support Washington's operations against Tehran.

Speaking with the media aboard Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall, Trump openly framed traditional transatlantic security arrangements as a transactional bartering chip.

Trump simultaneously chided European nations for their historical reluctance to back the US military operations to isolate Tehran, calling their recent offers to assist "a little late," amid ongoing strikes in the region.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated that Greenland "should be controlled by the United States," arguing that the Arctic island is strategically important for American security, CNN reported.

How Could Trump’s Greenland Push Impact NATO Ties?

Speaking during a bilateral meeting ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump acknowledged that pursuing US control of Greenland could affect Washington's ties with its NATO allies.

But, he added, "that would hurt my relationship with NATO," according to CNN.

Trump argued that Denmark has not invested enough in Greenland and said the island's strategic importance is growing as China and Russia expand their presence in the Arctic.

He added that Greenland "should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark."

Additionally, Trump on Wednesday said the United States was paying "billions of dollars too much" for Europe's security and that he would raise his concerns with NATO allies during the alliance's summit.

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as the summit got underway, Trump said, "I'm going to relay my problems."

He said the United States had been shouldering a disproportionate share of the alliance's security burden, while also citing Greenland and Iran as areas of concern.

"We've been treated unfairly. We pay disproportionately," Trump said, adding that the US was paying "billions of dollars too much" to ensure Europe's security.

(With inputs from ANI)