Trump, Greenland, and the Alliance Test: Whither World Order?

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Former US official Bijan Kian argues Trump’s Greenland rhetoric is negotiating theatre—not imperial intent—but warns allies must engage seriously to prevent erosion of post-war trust.

By TRH World Desk

New Delhi, January 9, 2026 — Does President Donald Trump’s talk of needing Greenland for US national security set a dangerous global precedent—or is it simply political theatre? Former US official Bijan Kian, speaking to Al Arabiya English, insists the alarm bells ringing across allied capitals may be premature.

Critics argue that if Washington can publicly justify territorial interest in Greenland, it weakens America’s moral authority to object when Russia claims “security needs” in Ukraine or China eyes Taiwan. To them, Trump’s rhetoric looks like a direct assault on the norms that have held together the post–Second World War security alliance system.

Kian disagrees. “I think you’re blowing it out of proportion,” he says, pointing to what he describes as Trump’s negotiating style—ask for the moon, then settle for far less. According to Kian, this is not dismantling the global order but a familiar Trump tactic: provoke, pressure, then bargain.

What matters more, he argues, is how allies respond. “We’re allies,” Kian stresses, noting that the United States, Denmark, and NATO partners—including newer members like Sweden—share strategic interests. Public outrage, denial, or grandstanding, he warns, will only harden positions. “Saying this is nonsense and denying it is not going to help.”

Instead, Kian calls for quiet, serious diplomacy—the kind alliance leaders are trained for. There is, he underlines, no legal basis for taking over Greenland, no sudden military installations, no fleet poised for confrontation. The real issue is strategic anxiety, and that must be addressed, not dismissed.

The path forward, Kian suggests, lies in cooperation: joint investments, shared infrastructure, enhanced Arctic security frameworks, and confidence-building measures that strengthen US national security without humiliating allies.

Trying to outmanoeuvre Trump rhetorically, he cautions, is futile. “Altering President Trump with his own style is not going to take us where we need to go,” he opined.

The Greenland debate, then, is less about territory and more about trust. If allies engage constructively, Trump’s rhetoric may fade into negotiation noise, he added. “If they don’t, even words—carelessly amplified—can fracture alliances built over generations,” Kian said.