The United States is wielding its economic clout to “assert its will,” according to a recent report from a Danish intelligence agency, and the implications echo throughout the international community.
The Danish Defense Intelligence Service, in its annual assessment, highlighted a more assertive U.S. posture under the Trump administration, coinciding with rising efforts by China and Russia to undermine Western—particularly American—influence on the global stage.
Of particular concern to Denmark, a NATO and European Union member and longtime U.S. ally, is the intensifying competition among these great powers in the Arctic region. President Trump has openly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory rich in minerals, a move that has drawn opposition from Russia and much of Europe.
“The strategic significance of the Arctic is escalating as tensions between Russia and the West deepen,” the report stated, underscoring that the U.S. focus on this region could accelerate these already growing concerns. The report was published on Wednesday, shortly after the Trump administration unveiled a new national security strategy that casts European allies as weak and seeks to reaffirm U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced anxiety over NATO’s activities in the Arctic, pledging to bolster Russia’s military presence in response.
The Danish analysis resonates with recent apprehensions across Western Europe regarding an increasingly unilateral approach by the United States. Under Trump’s second term, the administration has shown a preference for bilateral deals at the expense of multilateral alliances like NATO.
“For many countries beyond Western borders, forging strategic agreements with China has become a feasible alternative to aligning with the United States,” the report observed, originally penned in Danish. “China and Russia, along with other like-minded nations, are actively working to diminish Western—especially U.S.—global influence.”
Uncertainty looms over how the U.S. will allocate its resources moving forward, creating a landscape where regional powers can navigate between aligning with the United States or China, or even balancing their interests with both.
Amid the backdrop of an aggressive campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration has sparked debate over its commitment to international law, particularly with targeted strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Moreover, Trump has not dismissed the possibility of military action in Greenland, where a U.S. military base already exists.
“The United States is using its economic power, including the threat of substantial tariffs, to assert its will,” the report concluded. “The potential for military force— even against allies— is no longer off the table.”
