FIRST ON FOX: Expansionist rhetoric has been a major concern in NATO for several years amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but according to Greece’s top defense official, the security alliance should take seriously similar threats from within its own coalition, in particular from Turkey.
A decades-old feud over the island nation of Cyprus between Greece and Turkey, both of which have been members of NATO since 1952, has plagued the alliance for over half a century and spill-over conflicts pushed the two countries nearly to the brink of war in the 1990s.
Though relations between Greece and Turkey have become less outwardly hostile in recent years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pursuit of regional natural resources coupled with his controversial geopolitical actions in the Middle East and Aegean Sea have long drawn criticism that he is looking to "recreate" the Ottoman Empire.
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"There's some people in Turkey that go back to the Ottoman times and believe that they could recreate the Ottoman Empire, including parts of Greece, parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, parts of Iran, half of the Caucasus, etc.," Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said during an interview with Fox News Digital.
"I hope that this is daydream, but it creates a lot of problems in the relations with Greece, a lot of problems within NATO."
Erdoğan, who has been president of Turkey since 2014, has long been criticized for his aggressive approach in dealing with regional nations like Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Israel, but also his oppressive practices at home that have targeted non-Sunni communities, including Shiites and Christians, journalists, women and Kurds. It's an issue that has not only blocked Turkey from joining the European Union, but has increasingly held geopolitical ramifications for the U.S.
The U.S.’s chief ally in the fight against ISIS in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has found itself in Ankara’s crosshairs as it views the Kurdish-affiliated force as being akin to the terrorist network, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Turkey has routinely targeted the group and prompted international concern over how the SDF will be able to continue to effectively fight ISIS should the Trump administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.
"ISIS, let us be frank and honest, is down but not out," Dendias said. "The ideology behind ISIS, the ideology behind the Muslim Brotherhood is there, is alive and kicking.
"And I have to say, the worst thing that you can do in life is forget your allies, forget the people who fought by your side in your hour of need, and turn against them or forget about them," the defense minister continued. "I'm speaking about the Kurds fighting against ISIS for years. They should not be forgotten by the West."
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The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has renewed concerns over regional stability, and the close dynamic between Trump and Erdoğan has raised more questions about how the Turkish president will pursue his regional ambitions.
Dendias argued that the close relationship allegedly shared between the two world leaders will not necessarily embolden Erdoğan and could uniquely position Trump to "whisper" in the ear of the Turkish leader and remind him that "international law, international [rules] of the sea, is a way of life in this modern world."
"I assume that it will not be good at all for NATO and would not be good at all for the United States of America to encourage Turkey to create a huge problem in the eastern front of NATO, taking also into account what's happening in the Middle East and what's happening between Russia and Ukraine," the defense minster added.
Earlier this month, Turkey relaunched military exercises in the Black, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas known as "Blue Homeland," which Greece has long viewed as a show of force and prompted long-held maritime disputes to resurface.
"This [is a] new Turkish neo-imperialist, neo-Ottoman approach," Dendias said. "It started appearing somewhere in the first decade of the 21st century … which, in essence, claims that half of the Greek islands in the Aegean belong to Turkey.
"And sometimes they even go further. They claim that Crete, a huge island with very important NATO presence and an American base in Souda – again, should belong to Turkey."
The defense minster said Greece’s tense relations with Turkey have made its defensive posture in NATO unique because it has forced Athens to be on top of its defense spending, an issue that has once again become a top matter of discussion in the NATO alliance due to Trump’s push to have all nations meet a 5% GDP spending limit, up from 2%.
The latest NATO spending figures released in June 2024 show Greece was the fifth-highest spender on defense in the alliance, spending more than 3% of its GPD, while Turkey came in 18th and spent just over 2% of its GDP on defense.
Dendias said European nations need to collectively agree on how they view security threat levels and the importance of defense spending.
"Regardless of President Trump's position on 5%, it's an internal issue and needs to be resolved," Dendias added.
"The biggest threat is countries that do not abide by international law and do not abide by international law of the sea. Countries that believe that borders [are] something that you can disregard, that treaties and international treaties should work only if it's to your advantage," Dendias said. "That is the biggest threat to the whole world, not just Greece."
Additional questions to Dendias about President Trump’s recent comments on his refusal to rule out military intervention in acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal were not answered.
The Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to Fox News Digital's questions but instead pointed to a statement issued by the Turkish Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, who ahead of the "Blue Homeland" exercises said, "Our country, located at the very heart of a region surrounded by conflicts and disputes, consistently emphasizes its commitment to international law and peace in preventing tensions and resolving crises.
"We approach the development of our relations with our neighbor Greece within this framework and take significant steps toward resolving problems," he added. "The efforts to portray Turkey's determination to protect its rights and interests in the ‘Blue Homeland’ as ‘historical expansionism and aggression’ are nothing more than a futile attempt to disregard the rights granted to Turkey by international law.
"However, while striving for a peaceful solution, we strongly emphasize that we will never compromise our national rights and interests," Güler said earlier this month.
The top European Union military official, Robert Brieger, said it would make sense to station troops from EU countries in Greenland, according to an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag published on Saturday, as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in acquiring the Danish territory.
"In my view, it would make perfect sense not only to station U.S. forces in Greenland, as has been the case to date, but also to consider stationing EU soldiers there in the future," the chairman of the European Union Military Committee said.
Ultimately, such a step would require a political decision, the Austrian-born general said. The military committee is the highest military office of the European Council, but it serves as a consultative body since the bloc has no dedicated army.
U.S.-led NATO is the main military alliance for the EU.
DANISH LAWMAKER ADDRESSING EU TELLS TRUMP TO ‘F--- OFF’ OVER GREENLAND BID
Although Greenland is not part of the EU as an overseas territory of Denmark, Europeans, as well as the U.S. have interests in Greenland, the general added, citing its raw materials and strategic location.
"However, with increasing ice melt as a result of climate change, this also creates a certain potential for tension with Russia and possibly China," he said.
Trump has expressed an interest in making Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, part of the United States. He has not ruled out using military or economic power to persuade Denmark to hand it over.
Greenland's strategic location along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for the U.S. ballistic missile warning system, has made it a priority for Trump.
Brieger said he hoped that the U.S. as a member of the United Nations would respect the inviolability of borders as stipulated in the U.N. Charter.
While many Americans opt for destinations by air, a new report reveals a record-breaking number of people will be seeking trips on the high seas this year.
AAA has released its first-ever "Cruise Travel Forecast."
It projects that 19 million Americans plan to take cruises this year.
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Last year, 18.2 million travelers went on cruises, according to the report.
"What we’re witnessing in the cruise industry is nothing short of amazing, but it’s no surprise. There’s a reason most first-time cruise passengers become repeat cruisers," said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, in a press release.
Barber added, "Cruise vacations offer something for everyone, no matter their age."
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"And because most of the vacation is already paid for," he said, "travelers can focus on enjoying themselves and making lifelong memories with loved ones."
The cruise forecast report found that 72% of passengers are heading to Caribbean destinations in search of sunny vacation times.
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Six percent plan on heading to Alaska, while 5% of people will be cruising in the Mediterranean, according to the report.
The report also found a rising interest among travelers in taking shorter cruises that last two to five days.
While most cruises run six to eight days, 18% of Caribbean cruise itineraries this year are shorter cruises — compared to just 2% in 2023.
Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko extended his more than three decades in power in an orchestrated weekend election that the opposition and the European Union rejected as a farce.
The Central Election Commission declared early Monday that Lukashenko won the election with nearly 87% of the vote after a campaign in which four token challengers all praised his rule.
Members of the country's political opposition, many of whom are imprisoned or exiled abroad by Lukashenko's unrelenting crackdown on dissent and free speech, called the election a sham — much like the last one in 2020 that triggered months of protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of 9 million people.
Since then, more than 65,000 people were arrested and thousands beaten, with the crackdown bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West.
The EU rejected Sunday's vote as illegitimate and threatened new sanctions.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the election offered no choice to voters, marking "a bitter day for all those who long for freedom and democracy."
"Instead of free and fair elections and a life without fear and arbitrariness, they experience daily oppression, repression and human rights violations," she said in a post on X.
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and has ruled the country with an iron fist. He has relied on subsidies and political support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself in office for a quarter-century, a relationship that helped him survive the 2020 protests.
Lukashenko allowed Moscow to use the country’s territory to invade Ukraine in 2022 and later hosted some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons.
Putin called Lukashenko on Monday to congratulate him on his "convincing victory." Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent congratulations.
Some observers believe Lukashenko feared a repeat of those mass demonstrations amid economic troubles and the fighting in Ukraine, and so scheduled the vote in January, when few would want to fill the streets again, rather than hold it in August.
Leading opponents have fled abroad or were thrown in prison. Activists say the country holds nearly 1,300 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Center.
Since July, Lukashenko has pardoned more than 250 people. At the same time, authorities have sought to uproot dissent by arresting hundreds more in raids targeting relatives and friends of political prisoners.
Opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus under government pressure after challenging Lukashenko in 2020, denounced the election as a "senseless farce" and urged voters to cross off everyone listed on the ballot.
Air travel has certainly changed over time, and an occasion that once mandated dressing smartly has become considerably more casual.
Recently, Spirit Airlines issued a new dress code for its flight passengers, after several news-making instances regarding customers being removed from flights due to their attire.
Now, customers on Spirit Airlines are subject to being removed from flights if they are "barefoot or inadequately clothed (i.e., see-through clothing; not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts), or whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene or offensive in nature."
Here are some other rules that airlines have regarding clothing.
Passengers on Hawaiian Airlines are prohibited from wearing bathing suits, and "clothing must cover the upper part of the torso," says its contract of carriage.
Shorts are fine, but "speedos and bikini bottoms are not allowed," said Hawaiian Airlines. And bare feet are not OK either.
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"In all cases, clothing must not be lewd, obscene or patently offensive to others," said Hawaiian Airlines.
Southwest Airlines passengers cannot wear clothes that are "lewd, obscene or patently offensive," and passengers must wear shoes.
Similarly to Southwest, passengers on United have a pretty loose dress code.
United Airlines' contract of carriage specifies that passengers must be "properly clothed."
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Clothing cannot be "lewd, obscene or offensive" as well — and passengers have to wear shoes.
American Airlines' code of carriage does not specify what is not allowed, but it does say that passengers have to "dress appropriately; bare feet or offensive clothing aren’t allowed."
Delta's code of carriage does not have a specific dress code.
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It does state that passengers can be removed when their "conduct, attire, hygiene or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers."
Qatar Airways has a dress code for passengers in business class and above, says its website.
"Depending on your destination, there are different rules and regulations regarding the type of clothing you should wear. The dress code is designed to ensure passengers' comfort and safety while traveling, so it is important to understand the rules before departing," said Qatar Airways.
This dress code prohibits shorts, sportswear and "overly revealing clothing," and business class passengers should be dressed "smart casual."
"Passengers should pay attention to the dress code when traveling in business class, as it will ensure their comfort and respect for other passengers," said Qatar Airways.
Leaders across the globe reacted to Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday, offering general good wishes and extending geopolitical olive branches.
While President Trump set the tone in his inaugural address and declared he would "put America first," he also drew attention to specific areas like Mexico, Panama and China – sparking more questions over how new American policies under the 47th president of the United States could take shape.
Neither the China, Mexico nor Panama governments responded to Fox News Digital’s questions following the remarks issued by Trump during his inaugural address, including when he vowed to "take back" the Panama Canal, which the U.S. fully handed over to Panama in 1999.
"China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama," the president said. "And we're taking it back."
Trump also vowed to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and pledged to reinstate his "Remain in Mexico" policies.
Panama President José Raúl Mulino issued a statement rejecting Trump’s comments and said, "The Canal is and will continue to be Panama's and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality."
"There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration," he added, taking issue with Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. "gave" the canal to Panama.
"Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal.," Mulino said.
Reports suggested that Mexico rejected Trump's plans to implement a "Remain in Mexico" policy and during a Monday morning conference, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico's secretary for external relations, said, "If they reinstate it, this is something we don’t agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it."
"The desire is to keep the same policies as now," he added.
China does not appear to have commented publicly following Trump's inaugural address, which was attended by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on re-entering the White House and suggested he may be open to peace talks with Ukraine.
"We see the statements by the newly elected President of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia," Putin said, according to a Reuters translation.
"We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War III," he added. "We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected President of the United States of America on taking office."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy similarly issued his congratulations just ahead of the inauguration ceremony and said, "I congratulate President Trump and the American people on the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States. Today is a day of change and also a day of hope for the resolution of many problems, including global challenges.
"President Trump is always decisive, and the peace through strength policy he announced provides an opportunity to strengthen American leadership and achieve a long-term and just peace, which is the top priority," he added.
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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte offered his "warm congratulations" and in a post on X said, "With President Trump back in office we will turbo-charge defense spending and production."
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen also took to X and said the international body "looks forward to working closely with you to tackle global challenges."
"Together, our societies can achieve greater prosperity and strengthen their common security," she added.
While many nations in Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, congratulated Trump, with several leaders pronouncing that the U.S. is their closest ally, other nations in Europe were less willing to issue pronounced congratulations.
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a note of warning when giving a speech to the French military on Monday.
Macron said the Trump presidency was an "opportunity for a European strategic wake-up call" and highlighted scenarios that some have feared could affect European security, like a lessening of U.S. military presence in Europe if Washington opts to shift focus toward security concerns in Asia instead.
Just one day into the long-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video message on X in which he congratulated Trump and said, "I believe that working together again we will raise the US-Israel alliance to even greater heights."
"The best days of our alliance are yet to come," he added.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri also commented on the inauguration of the 47th president, saying, "We are happy with the departure of Biden, who has the blood of Palestinians on his hand," reported Reuters.
"We hope for the end of this dark era that harmed the U.S. before anyone and that Trump can build his policies on balanced foundations that can cut the road against Netanyahu's evils that want to drown the region and the world," he added.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized that Greenland is not for sale, as President-elect Trump has ramped up calls for the U.S. to acquire the island.
Frederiksen's comments to a Danish TV station come as the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a visit to Greenland on Tuesday. The trip is a personal one and Trump Jr. is not expected to meet with any government officials.
The Danish prime minister said in an interview that Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede "has been very, very clear – that there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either," according to The Hill.
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She reportedly told Danish television station TV 2 that Greenland will choose its own future and said, "We need to stay calm and stick to our principles," while praising the U.S. as a key Danish ally.
In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump said he was "hearing that the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA'." The Republican attached a video that purportedly shows a Greenlander asking the U.S. to buy his country.
TRUMP ESCALATES PLANS TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND AFTER RESIDENT PLEADS: ‘DENMARK’S USING US'
Trump's son arrived Tuesday in Nuuk, the Arctic territory's capital. He met with locals, visited cultural sites and shot video for a podcast. The president-elect posted a video showing a plane emblazoned with the word "TRUMP" landing in Nuuk.
"Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland," Trump wrote. "The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"
Trump also spoke with locals over speakerphone in video that supporters shared online.
A source familiar told Fox News Digital on Monday that Trump Jr. is "popping in for a quick day-long trip to shoot some fun video content for podcasting. He will not be meeting with any government officials or political figures."
Trump has previously flirted with the idea of buying the territory from Denmark, claiming it is of vital national security interest to the United States.
At a press conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate Tuesday afternoon, the president-elect again said, "Denmark should give it up."
Iran’s nuclear program is nearing the "point of no return," French President Emmanuel Macron is now warning.
Iran is the top "strategic and security challenge" for France and Europe this year, Macron said this week during an annual foreign policy conference with French ambassadors, according to Reuters.
"The acceleration of the nuclear program leads us nearly to the point of no return," the French leader was quoted as saying.
"In the coming months we will have to ask ourselves whether to use... the mechanism to restore sanctions," Macron added.
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The comments come after International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi told Reuters in December that Iran is enriching uranium close to the 90% level required for weapons grade.
French, German and British diplomats are now set to meet their Iranian counterparts on Jan. 13 in an effort to defuse tensions, according to Reuters.
Iran has argued that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
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Axios recently reported that in a top meeting with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan roughly a month ago, President Biden was presented with a series of strike options should Iran make a move to develop a nuclear weapon.
Biden has vowed not to let Iran develop a nuclear weapon on his watch, but it remains unclear what steps Iran would have to take in order for the Biden administration to respond with direct hits, given that Tehran has already been reported to have stockpiled near-weapons-grade uranium and to be bolstering its weaponization capabilities.
The president was reportedly presented with a series of scenarios and response options during the meeting, though sources told the outlet that Biden has not made any final decisions regarding the information he was given.
Another source reportedly told Axios there currently are no active discussions on militarily hitting Iran’s program.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland on Tuesday as his father, President-elect Trump, made remarks that sparked speculation that the U.S. may seek to acquire the Danish territory.
Trump Jr. landed in Nuuk, the Arctic territory's capital, to meet with locals, visit cultural sites and shoot video for a podcast. The president-elect posted a video showing a plane emblazoned with the word "TRUMP" landing in Nuuk.
"Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland," Trump wrote. "The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"
Trump also spoke with locals over speakerphone in video that supporters shared online.
TRUMP ESCALATES PLANS TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND AFTER RESIDENT PLEADS: ‘DENMARK’S USING US'
A source familiar told Fox News Digital on Monday that Trump Jr. is "popping in for a quick day-long trip to shoot some fun video content for podcasting. He will not be meeting with any government officials or political figures."
The trip comes as President-elect Trump seeks to buy the mineral-rich, geographically important territory.
At a press conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Tuesday afternoon, the president-elect again said that "Denmark should give it up."
"We need Greenland for national security purposes," Trump said.
American interest in Greenland dates back to the 1800s.
But Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said last week that the country is not interested.
"Greenland is ours," he said. "We are not for sale, and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom."
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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