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Trump Says ‘No Going Back’ on Greenland Control, Alarms Europe
US President Donald Trump says there is “no going back” on his goal to control Greenland, refusing to rule out force and triggering alarm across Europe and NATO allies.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-20
Trump Says ‘No Going Back’ on Greenland Control, Alarms Europe

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his controversial ambition to control Greenland, saying there was “no going back” on the issue and refusing to rule out the use of force, as European leaders struggled to contain the fallout.

Trump’s remarks, made after a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, have intensified tensions with Europe and raised fresh questions about the future of the NATO alliance.

“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 in a statement.

The president reinforced his message with a series of provocative social media posts, including AI-generated images showing him holding a US flag in Greenland and another depicting Canada and Greenland as part of the United States.

Trump’s push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO member, has shocked European capitals and threatened to fracture the alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades. It has also reignited fears of a renewed transatlantic trade war, after Trump again warned of punishing tariffs on countries opposing his agenda.

The US president also leaked private messages from European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who questioned Trump’s intentions regarding Greenland. Earlier, Trump had threatened to impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to calm markets and political nerves, dismissing what he called “hysteria” over Greenland while speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

“It’s been 48 hours. 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.”

The European Union, however, has warned of retaliation if trade tensions intensify. One option under consideration is a package of tariffs on €93 billion ($109 billion) worth of US imports that could automatically take effect on February 6. Another is the EU’s powerful but unused Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could restrict US access to European public tenders, investments, banking and services — an area where the US enjoys a surplus.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told parliament that “the worst may still lie ahead”.

“We can negotiate about everything political, including security, investments and the economy, but we cannot negotiate our most fundamental values: sovereignty, our country’s identity, our borders, our democracy,” she said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also speaking at Davos, called for building a “new independent Europe”, saying the geopolitical shift was permanent and demanded a stronger, more self-reliant Europe.

Russia, meanwhile, weighed in on the controversy. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned Denmark’s historical claim over Greenland, calling it a result of “colonial conquest”, while denying that Moscow had any ambitions toward the island.

The growing tensions rattled global markets. US S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures fell to one-month lows, gold prices touched record highs, and stocks slid worldwide as investors sought safe havens amid fears of escalating geopolitical and trade conflicts.
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NATO

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