The End of NATO? Greenland, Trump, and the Collapse of the Atlantic Alliance

The End of NATO? Greenland, Trump, and the Collapse of the Atlantic Alliance

Published: January 6, 2026

Duration: 24:59

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the escalating crisis that threatens to destroy the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). With Donald Trump eyeing Greenland as a territorial acquisition and European leaders issuing a rare, unified rebuke, the alliance forged in 1949 to contain Soviet power is facing its greatest existential threat.


We delve into the history of NATO—from the Berlin Airlift and the Truman Doctrine to its expansion after the Cold War. How did an alliance built on the principle of "an attack on one is an attack on all" cru...