The U.S. has entered a quiet constitutional crisis unlike anything we’ve faced. The most recent symptom is President Donald Trump’s aggression toward Greenland.

President Trump has, on several occasions, threatened to seize Greenland, a barren, icy piece of tundra with fewer full-time residents than Muncie. This is beyond bizarre and alarming. Defending it is akin to sprinkling glitter into a port-a-potty and calling it pudding.

Trump, for now, has relented on threats to use everything from military force to tariffs to seize Greenland (see https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/21/trump-greenland-military-deal-00739427). He has momentarily settled for negotiations on a deal to give the U.S. more control over security on the island (see https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-us-alone-can-protect-greenland-wont-use-force-take-rcna255183), but not before Germany, France, Great Britain and other NATO allies have sent troops to defend Greenland — from the United States of America.

At a time when our allies fight Russia and Iran, they are also preparing to fight us.

This should be unimaginable, yet Fox News and a host of other Trump propaganda outlets treated this threat of war against a century-old alliance as a simple bargaining ploy. That is farce.

The U.S. has enjoyed a strong security arrangement with Denmark, the nation that owns Greenland. We’ve stationed troops there since World War II and shared the defense of this barren island with NATO allies for a lifetime.

Denmark is not just a random ally. Denmark supplied troops to help the U.S. destroy al-Qaida in Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001, as was its NATO treaty obligation. Over the following decades, 43 Danish service members died fighting alongside our forces in Afghanistan — a casualty rate for their armed forces that is higher than ours.

Our threats toward Greenland dishonor America and belie the generosity of spirit and purpose that has propelled us to war again and again.

The U.S. Senate ratified a treaty with NATO in 1949. The only instance in which NATO invoked its joint security clause — Article V — was after 9/11. Thus, the U.S. is the only nation that NATO was forced to defend.

Violating that treaty by invading Greenland — the sovereign territory of a NATO ally — would constitute a war crime. In such a case, Trump and Vice President JD Vance must be impeached and any member of the government involved with the invasion removed from office and extradited to Denmark for trial.

Trump’s public remarks on Greenland have been incoherent, rambling, fact-starved and filled with self-worship — a cornucopia of evidence for impeachment or removal from office under the 25th Amendment.

If all this does not make you ashamed of our president and our nation, you are incapable of shame.

Fortunately, Trump has backed away from this threat, his biggest TACO thus far, but unfortunately he has blown apart America’s European alliances. The damage will spread across generations. Our allies are tired of us, our enemies laugh at us and the desire to stand up to Trump now exceeds the fear of any pain it may cause.

As I write this column, several allied nations are dumping U.S. treasuries. I don’t know what behind-the-scenes sorcery would prevent a bond market rout in the coming days and weeks, but I am certain every trick is being used. The dollar is dropping and likely to continue its slide, while gold and silver prices hit new highs.

This is not a panic. It’s far worse. Our allies have decided we are no longer to be trusted. The American president is no longer the leader of the developed world, and the U.S. is no longer a reliable ally. Our allies are determined.

We face an orderly yet fast-paced disengagement from the alliances that have spread and nurtured democracy for most of the past century. They will curtail investment and trade with us. They will end military cooperation and trust. They will no longer concern themselves with our well-being.

We are in the midst of divorce proceedings in the most important and beneficial marriage in world history. We are fools.

The end of democratic alliances will cost us lives on future battlefields, which is an inconvenience that few Americans seem to worry about. The dumping of U.S. bonds will keep upward pressure on mortgage rates. The escalation of the trade war with Europe will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

This Greenland psychosis will make our grandchildren poorer; it makes us more stupid.

Even if Denmark welcomed U.S. acquisition of Greenland, it would be stunningly moronic. Greenland is probably worth $1 trillion, or about $8,500 for every American family. That is to buy a piece of land we have almost unfettered access to today and are obligated to defend.

Ask every elected official if they support buying or invading Greenland. If they support either, vote for someone else.

Note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of funders, associations, any entity of Ball State University, or its governing body.