Trump Says There Is “No Going Back” on Greenland Aim, Rattling NATO and Europe

Davos, Switzerland: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared there was “no going back” on his ambition to take control of Greenland, refusing to rule out the use of force and escalating tensions with European allies as leaders across the continent struggled to formulate a response.

Trump’s drive amplified through social media posts and AI-generated images to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark has threatened to fracture an alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades. It has also raised the spectre of a renewed transatlantic trade war, unsettling markets and companies after months of volatility last year.

“As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!” Trump said after speaking with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Underscoring his message, Trump posted an AI image of himself in Greenland holding a US flag, while another showed him addressing leaders beside a map depicting Canada and Greenland as part of the United States.

In a further escalation, Trump leaked private messages, including one from French President Emmanuel Macron questioning what he was “doing on Greenland.” The US president, who has vowed to impose tariffs on countries opposing him, had earlier threatened to slap 200 percent tariffs on French wines and champagnes.

Bessent pushes back against ‘hysteria’

Despite the growing unease, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to downplay concerns. On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, he dismissed what he called “hysteria” surrounding Greenland and said a solution would be found that safeguards security interests on both sides of the Atlantic.

“It’s been 48 hours. As I said, sit back, relax,” Bessent said. “I am confident that the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all.”

Asked about the risk of a prolonged US-EU trade war, he replied: “Why are we jumping there? Why are you taking it to the worst case?… Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath.”

European leaders, however, signalled that they were preparing for a tougher stance. The European Union has warned it could retaliate with trade measures, including a package of tariffs on €93 billion ($109 billion) worth of US imports that could automatically take effect on February 6 after a six-month suspension.

Another option under discussion is the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument, a powerful but never-used tool that could restrict access to public tenders, investment or banking activity, or curb trade in services — an area where the United States runs a surplus with the bloc, including digital services dominated by US technology firms.

“This is not a question about the Kingdom of Denmark, it is about the entire transatlantic relationship,” Denmark’s Economy Minister Stephanie Lose said ahead of an EU meeting of economy and finance ministers in Brussels.

“At this point in time, we do not believe that anything should be ruled out. This is a serious situation that, although we would like to de-escalate, there are others who are contributing to escalating it right now, and therefore we will have to keep all options on the table as we move forward,” she added.

In her own address in Davos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the succession of recent geopolitical shocks would force the European Union to build a more independent future.

“We will only be able to capitalize on this opportunity if we recognize that this change is permanent,” she said.

Russia questions Danish sovereignty

Russia, which has watched closely as Trump’s Greenland push widens rifts within the West, also weighed in. Moscow’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that Greenland was not “a natural part” of Denmark.

Trump is due to attend the Davos gathering of global political and business leaders later this week. Meanwhile, Swiss newspaper NZZ reported that protesters marched in Zurich late on Monday, unfurling a large banner reading: “TRUMP NOT WELCOME. NO WEF! NO OLIGARCHY! NO IMPERIALIST WARS!”

The renewed tariff threats against European allies have revived talk of a “Sell America” trade that first emerged after Trump imposed sweeping levies last April. Markets reacted sharply on Monday, with European equities falling more than one percent and US stock futures pointing to weakness after the US public holiday.

The dollar also weakened, signalling that the world’s leading reserve currency was not immune to the renewed uncertainty triggered by Trump’s threat to escalate tariffs on Europe.