Leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, has sharply criticised United States President Donald Trump over his renewed push to acquire Greenland, describing the move as akin to “international gangsterism”.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday while addressing Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Davey labelled Trump “the most corrupt president the United States has ever seen” and warned that Britain’s current response to Washington was dangerously weak.
Trump has recently intensified efforts to persuade European allies to back his plan to buy Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, which is a NATO member. As part of the pressure campaign, he announced on Saturday that European nations — including the UK — would face a 10 percent tariff on all goods exported to the US from February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1, unless an agreement on Greenland is reached.
In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump said, “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland,” linking the issue to what he described as Norway’s “failure” to award him the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
Both Denmark and Greenland have consistently rejected the idea, insisting the territory is not for sale.
“President Trump is acting like an international gangster,” Davey told lawmakers.
“He is threatening to trample over the sovereignty of an ally, threatening the end of NATO altogether, and now threatening to hit our country and seven European allies with outrageous damaging tariffs unless he gets his hands on Greenland.
“This is an incredibly grave moment for the United Kingdom, Europe, and our world.”
Davey also took aim at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of “flattering” and “fawning over Trump”, a strategy he said had proven disastrous.
“It is time for the government to change course. We have to finally be clear-eyed about the sort of man Trump is and treat him accordingly. He is a bully,” he said.
The Liberal Democrat leader urged the UK to work closely with its European partners to confront Trump and push back against what he described as coercive diplomacy.
