BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there was “no going back” on his determination to bring Greenland under American control, refusing to rule out the use of military force and sharply criticizing allied nations as European leaders struggled to mount a unified response to his escalating rhetoric.
Trump’s renewed push to assert U.S. control over the vast Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has sent shockwaves through Europe and across NATO. By openly challenging the sovereignty of a fellow alliance member, the president has raised fears that the dispute could fracture the security partnership that has anchored Western defence for decades.
The president has underscored his ambitions through a series of provocative social media posts, including AI-generated images depicting himself in Greenland holding a U.S. flag and standing beside maps that show Greenland and Canada as part of the United States. The imagery, combined with his uncompromising language, has heightened concern among allies already wary of his willingness to upend long-standing diplomatic norms.
“As I expressed very plainly, Greenland is imperative for national and world security,” Trump said after speaking with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “There can be no going back.”
The standoff has also revived the prospect of a transatlantic trade conflict. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose steep tariffs on countries that oppose his Greenland plans, raising the possibility of another trade war between the United States and Europe that could unsettle global markets. His Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, sought to play down those fears, urging observers not to overreact and insisting that the situation would be resolved without escalation.
Nonetheless, tensions have continued to rise. Trump released excerpts of private messages from European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who questioned the U.S. president’s intentions regarding Greenland. Trump has previously warned that France could face punitive tariffs, including levies as high as 200 percent on wines and champagnes, if Paris stands in his way.
In Copenhagen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen struck a defiant tone, making clear that Denmark would not relinquish control over Greenland. She said she had long since decided that abandoning the territory was not an option and warned that Trump’s refusal to rule out military action had forced others to take his words seriously.
“The American president has unfortunately not ruled out the use of military force,” Frederiksen said. “That means the rest of us cannot rule it out either. This is a natural consequence of what has been said and what has not been said.”
As world leaders gathered in Davos for the annual World Economic Forum, Greenland dominated conversations among European officials seeking to project unity and resolve. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said an agreement to share responsibility for security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic could offer a way out of the crisis, arguing that cooperation, rather than confrontation, was the only viable path forward.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also weighed in, saying Ottawa strongly opposed any U.S. tariffs linked to the Greenland dispute and warning against measures that could further destabilize global trade.
French President Macron urged European leaders not to yield to pressure, saying the European Union should not submit to “the law of the strongest.” While acknowledging the need for economic growth and global stability, he stressed that respect and adherence to international rules must come before intimidation. Trump is expected to address the Davos forum later this week, a speech that many European officials hope will provide clarity—or at least restraint.
Other European leaders used the gathering to highlight the need to reduce the continent’s dependence on the United States for its security. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the current moment as a “seismic change” that underscored the urgency of building a new form of European independence in defence and strategic affairs.
The European Union has signalled that it is prepared to retaliate if Washington follows through on tariff threats. Options under discussion include a package of duties on roughly 93 billion euros worth of U.S. imports that could automatically take effect in early February, as well as the possible use of the bloc’s so-called Anti-Coercion Instrument. That mechanism, sometimes referred to as the EU’s “trade bazooka,” would allow the bloc to impose sweeping restrictions on access to public contracts, investments, financial services, or key sectors where the United States enjoys a surplus, such as digital services.
Although the instrument has never been deployed, Macron reiterated that it remains on the table, signalling Europe’s readiness to respond forcefully if economic pressure is used to influence its political decisions.
Speaking in Davos, Treasury Secretary Bessent expressed confidence that a compromise would ultimately be found that safeguards the security interests of both the United States and Europe. He urged patience, saying the dispute was still in its early stages and warning against assumptions that it would spiral out of control.
Meanwhile, Russia has moved to exploit the growing rift. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned Denmark’s historical claim to Greenland, describing its status as the result of colonial conquest, while denying that Moscow harboured any ambitions toward the island. His remarks were widely seen as an attempt to sow further division among Western allies.
Financial markets reacted nervously to the renewed uncertainty. Trump’s tariff threats revived talk of a “Sell America” trade that emerged after his sweeping levies last year. U.S. stock markets opened sharply lower, global equities slid, and investors flocked to safe-haven assets, pushing gold prices to record highs while U.S. Treasuries were sold off amid rising risk aversion.
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