Trump: Venezuela and Greenland | Current Affairs Lecture with political scientist Bertjan Verbeek and historian Laurien Crump

A startling lack of justification

The discussion opened with the stark reality of the current U.S. foreign policy, which has moved into active disruption of global norms. Crump noted that the kidnapping of Maduro is not an isolated event, but an amplification of shifts in the world order already seen in 2025. Unlike the first Trump term, where his impulses were controlled by others, the current administration—led by ideological hardliners like J.D. Vance—no longer feels the need for justification. 

Verbeek emphasized that while powerful countries have always intervened when it suited their interests, they previously felt the need to justify their actions. The Trump administration, however, operates with a ‘startling lack of justification’, said Verbeek, signaled by Trump’s post-kidnapping press conferences where he spoke openly about oil rather than human rights or democracy.

Greenland 

The focus then shifted to the threat against Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. ‘Laying claim to territory that’s part of a NATO country, while you are the de facto leader of NATO, is unprecedented’, said Crump. While Trump frames the interest as a ‘national security’ necessity to counter Russian and Chinese missiles, the speakers argued the true motive is material. As the ice caps melt, Greenland’s vast reserves of rare earth metals and minerals become available. Verbeek noted that this is not just about the U.S. gaining these resources, which is quite hard, but ensuring that competitors do not.

NATO’s Hague Summit Declaration 

Crump also mentioned the Hague Summit Declarations from the June 2025 NATO summit. Crump revealed a critical shift in the summit's final text: for the first time in history, Article 1—which grounds the alliance in the UN Charter and peaceful dispute resolution—wasn’t mentioned. Neither was the addition ‘at all times’ mentioned in article 5, as is usually the case—the article that states that an attack against one NATO member is an attack against all. 

This should raise alarm bells, according to Crump. ‘How on earth can you keep NATO together if the leader of NATO is threatening to militarily invade one of its smallest members?’ This situation has left NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a dilemma. What he’s trying to do is increasing NATO troop presence in Greenland—a move that attempts to take away Trump’s excuse for invasion, but risks legitimizing his aggression.

The Ukraine-Greenland Blackmail

The speakers also highlighted the relation with the war in Ukraine. The consensus was that European leaders are being blackmailed: if they do not concede on Arctic interests, the U.S. will withdraw its remaining intelligence and military support for Ukraine. However, according to Crump, “A lot of European leaders let themselves be blackmailed on Ukraine, whereas American support has already evaporated, Ukrainian fate already sold out to Russia.”  

Verbeek observed that the U.S. is effectively trading spheres of influence. By handing a "free hand" to Russia in Eastern Europe, Trump expects a reciprocal free hand for the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere, reviving a 21st-century version of the Monroe Doctrine. This "swap" was allegedly proposed as early as 2019 by Russian ambassadors and is now being realized. After Maduro was kidnapped by the US, there was also a noticeable increase on Russian bombardments in Ukraine.

A dead alliance

Looking toward the future, the speakers discussed what a U.S. annexation of Greenland would mean for the continent. While Verbeek expressed skepticism that a full military occupation of Greenland would occur—arguing the U.S. can likely ‘get what it wants’ through intense coercion—the damage to the transatlantic bond is already irreversible. The "Coalition of the Willing" model would see Europeans rallying together for a common defense, but such a transition would take years—it’s a long-term solution. If the U.S. follows through, Crump argued that NATO would be ‘physically dead’, even if it continues to exist on paper. 

Announcement

Following the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro, Trump has set his sights on Greenland. He says he will not shy away from military force... 

What should we expect? What does this say about Trump's global plans? Is this the harbinger of a new era in which world powers divide the world into spheres of influence? Is this the end of NATO? Come and listen to political scientist Bertjan Verbeek and historian Laurien Crump discuss the current geopolitical unrest.

“Absolutely necessary”

Prior to the kidnapping, President Trump accused President Maduro of leading a drug cartel that smuggles drugs into the US on a large scale. Since then, however, he has mainly talked about gaining access to Venezuelan oil. His motives for wanting to annex Greenland seem clearer: he “absolutely needs” the country for security reasons and because of its strategic location. How will Europe respond? And what does this say about the state of the international rule of law that no one seems able to respond to Trumps advances? 

Reactions

While European leaders reacted cautiously to Maduro's abduction, they are unanimously backing Denmark and Greenland. “It is up to Denmark and Greenland themselves to decide on the future of Greenland.” How likely is it that Trump will actually carry out his threat? What role do the interests of China and Russia play in this? What does this say about the stability of geopolitical relations worldwide? 

Political scientist Bertjan Verbeek and historian Laurien Crump will discuss these and related questions. Come and ask your own questions!

This event is English spoken. 

About the speakers

Bertjan Verbeek is a political scientist at Radboud University. He researches (crisis) decision-making in foreign policy. Within this field, he examines the influence of domestic politics on the foreign policy of states and the role of international organizations.

Laurien Crump is a historian at Radboud University. She conducts research on transatlantic security issues and the European security architecture after the Cold War, including NATO expansion and the war in Ukraine.