Tensions between Washington and key European capitals intensified on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump bluntly told UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “straighten out” Britain, as disagreements over Greenland and the UK’s proposed Chagos Islands deal deepened.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump said Britain was “having a lot of problems” and accused both Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron of being two-faced in their dealings with him.
“They treat me well. They get a little bit rough when I’m not around, but when I’m around, they treat me very nicely,” the US president said.
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The remarks came as Mr Trump dismissed the idea of attending an emergency G7 meeting proposed by Mr Macron in Paris and suggested that the French leader’s time in office was limited. “He’s a friend of mine… I like Macron, but he’s not going to be there very much longer,” Mr Trump added.
Earlier, the US president reignited controversy by criticising Britain’s plan to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, describing the move as “an act of stupidity.” Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump expressed outrage over the future of Diego Garcia, which hosts a major US military base.
“Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO ally, the United Kingdom, is planning to give away the island of Diego Garcia… FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” he wrote.
European leaders swiftly pushed back. In a pointed response at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Macron warned against bullying in international relations, saying: “We do prefer respect to bullies. And we do prefer the rule of law to brutality.”
The rift has been further fuelled by Mr Trump’s renewed insistence that the United States must take control of Greenland, citing strategic concerns over Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic.
“Greenland is imperative for national and world security,” Mr Trump said, adding that there could be “no going back” on the issue.
In response, Downing Street said Sir Keir had reaffirmed that the future of Greenland lies with its people and the Kingdom of Denmark, while stressing Britain’s readiness to support Arctic security efforts alongside Nato.
The situation has unsettled officials in Greenland. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen ordered residents to prepare for potential disruptions, warning that while an American military intervention was unlikely, “it can’t be ruled out.”
Europe Divided as Davos Opens
As leaders gathered in Davos, divisions within Europe became increasingly visible. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for a tougher stance, warning that appeasement would only bring “humiliation.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled plans aimed at boosting European strategic independence, including greater Arctic security investment and the development of a European icebreaker capability.
Meanwhile, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte is reportedly preparing options to address US concerns, including enhanced Arctic patrols and intelligence deployments.
Despite mounting rhetoric, European leaders remain split over how to confront Mr Trump’s threats of tariffs and reduced US involvement in Nato, with an emergency EU summit scheduled in Brussels to discuss the growing crisis.
As global leaders debate the future of transatlantic relations, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney summed up the mood in Davos, declaring that the old world order was “dead” and urging nations to adapt to a more fractured global landscape.
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