To the Editor:
Recent discussion about Greenland and U.S. national security has prompted strong reactions, particularly around the assertion that the United States could take territory from a NATO ally by force. Those concerns are understandable, and they deserve a clear and serious response.
As a Navy Veteran, I recognize the very real strategic importance of the Arctic. Greenland sits astride critical sea lanes and air routes, hosts early-warning and defense infrastructure, and plays an outsized role in deterring adversaries like Russia and China. That strategic reality cannot be ignored.
China, despite not being an Arctic nation, now calls itself a “near-Arctic” state, promotes a so-called “Polar Silk Road,” and operates a growing fleet of four to five icebreakers, approaching the size of the current U.S. fleet. That level of investment by a non-Arctic power should give pause, and it underscores why Greenland’s location matters to American and allied security.
President Trump has been right to force a long-overdue conversation about American strategic interests and to challenge the complacency that has too often defined U.S. foreign policy in recent years. As he wrote in The Art of the Deal, successful negotiations often begin with strong positions and clear leverage. His willingness to speak plainly — even bluntly — applies pressure and compels both allies and adversaries to take U.S. interests seriously again.
That said, recognizing strategic reality does not mean abandoning American principles.
I oppose taking Greenland by force. Such an action would be illegal under international law and fundamentally inconsistent with the values that distinguish the United States from the very adversaries we seek to deter. America does not seize territory from its allies or redraw borders through coercion. That is precisely why Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is wrong, and why China’s threats toward Taiwan are dangerous and unacceptable.
American strength is not measured by aggression, but by our ability to protect our interests while honoring the rule of law and our commitments to allies. Our alliances, especially NATO, are among America’s greatest strategic assets. President Trump has rightly demanded that those allies do more to carry their share of the burden, and that insistence has strengthened, not weakened, the alliance.
There is a responsible, non-kinetic way forward in the Arctic. If firm rhetoric and hard bargaining are used to advance a lawful and voluntary outcome, diplomacy can succeed without coercion. In time, a democratic path could exist in which Greenlanders choose independence and a voluntary association with the United States through a Compact of Free Association (COFA), strengthening U.S. security while fully respecting self-determination and international law.
That is the approach I support, and the one America should pursue.
— Nick LaLota
Editor’s Note: Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point) represents the 1st Congressional District.