NATO officials withholding intel from US over Greenland row – media

The dispute over the island has eroded trust inside the military bloc, with one insider saying America “stabbed us in the back,” the i Paper has reported

NATO officials have begun withholding some intelligence from the US over fears it could be relayed to President Donald Trump and used to support his push to take control of Greenland, British outlet the i Paper reported on Monday, citing sources.

In recent weeks, Trump has doubled down on his push to acquire Greenland – an autonomous Danish territory with a population of 56,000 – to counter alleged threats from Russia and China, which both Moscow and Beijing have dismissed.

Trump has threatened tariffs on several European countries that oppose the idea. Both Denmark and its European allies have ruled out the transfer of the strategic island, insisting that “Greenland belongs to its people,” and warning the US of a “dangerous downward spiral.” 

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According to the i Paper, the dispute has frayed historically close ties between the US and UK, with Trump’s threats pushing officials to the idea that Washington now treats Britain as “just part of Europe.”

A senior NATO insider told the outlet that the situation “is creating tensions and distrust between European and US colleagues in NATO.” Officials are “not talking openly” amid fears information will reach the White House and be used in pursuit of Greenland, the source added.

“We used to get beers together but now it’s really strange. I have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan side-by-side with Americans. This is very disruptive in a way that I have never thought of before because it is so unrealistic and surprising,” the insider noted, adding that some officials felt the US had “stabbed us in the back.” 

In late 2025, several media outlets reported that the UK had suspended intel sharing with the US which could have been used for strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. While US officials claimed that the boats had ties to the Venezuelan government, Caracas has vehemently denied accusations of supporting the drug trade.