Donald Trump humiliated as 1951 law reveals US military could mutiny if he invades Greenland

A law from 1951 could see Donald Trump’s own generals rebel against him and scupper the 79-year-old US leader’s expansionist plans

09:02 ET, 21 Jan 2026Updated 09:31 ET, 21 Jan 2026

Donald Trump could be facing a rebellion from his own military chiefs if he tries to invade and seize Greenland, thanks to a law that’s been on the books for 75 years. Since capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month, Trump has ramped up his aggressive rhetoric toward Greenland, a self-governing territory under NATO ally Denmark.

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However, a 1951 statute could see his top brass push back against him and derail the 79-year-old US leader’s territorial ambitions.

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The provision, which is part of the 1951 Uniform Code of Military Justice, allows service members to decline an unlawful order, meaning Trump’s military leadership could step down if commanded to seize Greenland. It comes after the daughter of Trump’s doctor made a bombshell claim about his health.

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This legal safeguard, along with the fact that every US service member retains the right to moral objection under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, throws a wrench into what many perceive as Trump’s colonial designs in the Arctic region, reports the Express.

News of this legal obstacle emerges just before Trump’s scheduled appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he’s set to address attendees as US military aircraft make their way toward Greenland.

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There’s been rampant conjecture about Trump’s intentions for Greenland - whether he’ll pursue military action, or make good on his threat to slap sanctions on nations that resist his demands.

Up to this point, the nations hit by these sanctions include the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.

These penalties, revealed earlier this month, will kick off at 10 percent on all imports into the USA, before climbing to 25 percent in June if Greenland hasn’t been acquired by America.

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When NBC pressed him on whether he’d make good on these threats, Trump confirmed he would and suggested that Europe should turn its attention eastward rather than westward.

He said: "I will, 100 percent.... Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them... That’s what Europe should focus on - not Greenland."

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Meanwhile, in Greenland, the territory at the center of this latest Trump-sparked controversy, there’s mounting unrest and concern about what lies ahead for the island in the coming months.

Last week, representatives from Greenland’s five political parties released a unified statement speaking for the population, declaring that Greenlanders had no interest in becoming part of the USA as a state.

They said: "We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders. No other country can meddle in this.

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"We must decide our country’s future ourselves - without pressure to make a hasty decision, without procrastination, and without interference from other countries."

This comment seemed to fall on deaf ears for Trump, who was quizzed by a reporter at the White House about his intentions for Greenland just before jetting off to Davos on Tuesday evening.

His cryptic response: "You’ll find out."

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