The American Threat: Three Words I Never Imagined Typing

By Nicholas Kristof

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/opinion/trump-europe-greenland.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GlA.o3Vq.l9zc88VoncQk&smid=url-share

"President Trump pounces on weakness, but retreats from strength. That’s one reason for Europe’s present troubles: For too long it was weak both toward President Vladimir Putin of Russia in the East and toward the new menace arising in the West.

That’s certainly Trump’s perception. “I think they’re weak,” Trump said last month of European leaders, and he had a point. They fawned over him and meekly surrendered as he steamrolled them with tariffs.

Trump was preying upon that weakness as he threatened to seize Greenland and effectively destroy NATO, while warning of a new trade war if Europe resisted. In Davos on Wednesday, perhaps reacting to European pushback, he backed off somewhat: “I don’t have to use force” to acquire Greenland, he said. “I won’t use force.” Later in the day he withdrew, at least for now, the threat to impose new tariffs on Europe over the Greenland dispute.

... It pains me as an American to urge leaders to defy my own country, and perhaps this seems disloyal. But it’s not. Seizing Greenland won’t benefit Americans any more than occupying Iraq did; we don’t want our children patrolling Nuuk or Toronto any more than we wanted them in Falluja or Kandahar..."


Scroll down for his comment/question and also "Win a Reporting Trip" never heard about this before.

Win a Reporting Trip With Me in 2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/27/opinion/nicholas-kristof-win-a-trip-2026.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GlA.k-7N.bDoEvlOsZt7x&smid=url-share

"If you’re a university student interested in the world, I invite you to apply for my 2026 win-a-trip contest. I’ve been holding these contests since 2006, each time taking the winner along with me on a reporting trip to cover global issues. The winner may write for The New York Times.

My aim is to get more young people interested in neglected topics and writing about them. HBO made a documentary called “Reporter” based on my 2007 win-a-trip journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo with the winners Leana Wen and Will Okun; it’s available to stream on Amazon and iTunes if you want to see what you’re getting yourself into. The contest opens now and the entry deadline is 11:59 p.m. E.T. on Jan. 31, 2026.

Be forewarned that the travel is sometimes tough. The joke within The New York Times is that first prize is a trip with me; second prize is two trips with me. We may be bouncing over awful roads and eating wretched food, and you may get sick. “Hotel” rooms may come with bugs and rats. And we’ll be on the go from dawn to dusk.

The contest is open to students enrolled in an American two- or four-year college or university, either as an undergraduate or at the graduate level. Please use the form below to submit an essay of up to 700 words explaining why we should pick you to win the trip. Tell us about yourself and what you would bring to the reporting and to readers. If you’d like, you may also suggest where we should go and what you would like to write about for The Times, and/or discuss your aspirations and what you would like to be doing in 10 years. Our goal is to get a better understanding of you, your accomplishments and your writing ability. Read the full rules below...."