Listening to commentary by American senators and others, I am reasonably confident that Trump will not use force to take Greenland.
All Europe has to do is to stand firm not make too much of a song and dance about it and wait out Trumps term, which will come soon enough.
Saying all that and rather sadly I do think that trump has harmed Europe’s relationship with the USA going forward.
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News & politics
Greenland Update
(343 Posts)Telegraph today
Trump’s plan to make Greenlanders an offer they can’t refuse
Sounds more than a little ominous?
Really interesting article covering two things
1) Trumps complete “lie” about Russian and China having ships in Greenland water, not ONE local report from Greenland, across many sources, about spitting even ONE ship.
2) Very very interesting info around Greenland’s minerals. A good read if you have time, link below.
It raises yet again how gun-ho Trump is about getting what he wants, lying, cheating and breaking all kinds of protocol because man-child Trump chooses.
My heart goes out to Greenlanders, who appear very content with Denmark and both Greenland and Denmark have cooperated fully with USA re security since the 1950’s.
My view? Come on Europe, pool ALL your resources and stop this idiot before he ruins our entire world with his greed.
What do you think?
Just in case link doesn’t work, salient points from the article are below, warning, it’s long!
.*Trump’s plan to make Greenlanders an offer they can’t refuse
US proposals to buy the island have been met with protests and alarm by locals
Eir Nolsøe is Economics Correspondent at The Telegraph covering stories on government tax and spend, the labour market and monetary policy.
When Aka Binzer-Johnsen prepared her two daughters for school and nursery after the holidays at the start of January, she felt compelled to tell them about Donald Trump. “I asked my daughters if they could remember from last year that Trump really wants our country,” she says. “I tried to explain in a child-friendly way that this is happening again, and if they hear anything, that’s why.”
The 38-year-old mother, her husband Uju and their daughters, aged five and seven, live on the outskirts of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.
Home to just 20,000 people, life in the quiet town with colourful wooden houses normally feels safe and far removed from the world’s troubles.
But the US president’s threats to seize Greenland have brought a crisis to Nuuk’s doorstep. “This was always like a safe little bubble,” says Binzer-Johnsen, who is a project manager for a charity. “That’s what we are used to from growing up here.”
She adds: “Everything has changed so fast. People are very scared, and emotions are heightened. I’ve felt really bad about what is going on. I’ve had sleepless nights.
“I have so many questions, wondering what we are going to do. If I want to protect my family, is this the time to act?
“I constantly feel ready to flee and leave, just for a period. But at the same time, we can’t just stop living. Everything we’ve invested in is here: our dreams and our life.”
Such considerations are now weighing on the minds of many Greenlanders, regardless of the territory’s status as a Nato member and having served as an American ally for more than 80 years.
The fate of the world’s largest island has been thrust back into the spotlight this month following Trump’s capture of Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president.
Buoyed by his coup in Latin America, Trump has now set his sights on Greenland, the sparsely populated autonomous Danish territory.
“We need Greenland from a national security situation,” Mr Trump said last week, adding that he may have to choose between preserving Nato or expanding America’s influence in the western hemisphere.
“It’s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”
The threats have sent alarm bells ringing in Copenhagen and Brussels, prompting stunned European leaders to issue a joint statement saying they will “not stop defending” Greenland.
However, it should not come as a surprise.
The US president has long been fascinated by Greenland, which has been part of the Danish kingdom for hundreds of years, like the Faroe Islands.
Trump first proposed buying the island during his first term in 2019, comparing it to “a large real estate deal”.
Seven years later, he has returned to the issue, alternating between threats of military force and offers to make Greenlanders rich.
All in all, last week’s events suggest the US president may be determined to make Greenlanders an offer they can’t refuse.
However, in Nuuk, the mood is one of anger and defiance.
“He can go f--- himself,” is the verdict from a local pensioner.
So why has the world’s most powerful man decided that, come hell or high water, he must own the world’s largest island?
“The Arctic is the crossroads of the world,” says Dwayne Menezes, founder of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative in London.
“Greenland is strategically located along the shortest air and sea routes between three continents: North America, Europe and Asia.”
The country’s position means it would offer the shortest route for ballistic missiles targeting North America, and it is key to surveillance in the Arctic.
“It also is a vast resource frontier, all of which is becoming increasingly strategically important for the US, but also increasingly accessible because of climate change,” Menezes adds.
The US has cooperated with Greenland and Denmark on national security since the Second World War.
Americans operate the island’s only military base. Some 150 US soldiers staff the Pituffik Space Base on the north-west coast, down from 6,000 during the Cold War.
This is part of a defence agreement that has been in place between the US and Denmark since 1951.
“The US has had such critical infrastructure in Greenland since the Second World War, through the Cold War, and more recently, even now, it plays a very, very important role for the Space Force,” Menezes says.
Experts and locals are also sceptical of US claims that the island’s waters are full of ships from hostile states that pose a threat.
“If there are so many Chinese and Russian ships here, then how can it be that only Donald Trump has seen them?” says Frans Heilmann, the boss of fishing company Sigguk.
Heilmann adds: “All of Greenland is full of fishing trawlers. I have not heard of a single trawler that has spotted either a Russian or Chinese vessel near our coasts.
“I am not sure he [Trump] has much of a conscience. He says Greenland’s strategic position means he needs us for national security.
“But he already has that. That argument is worthless. He’s just after the minerals. He’s a trophy hunter.”
The suspicion that Trump’s interest in Greenland is its vast deposits of rare earths is widespread.
“It’s not really any more about wanting to get Greenland because of security reasons, but coming up with security reasons to get Greenland,” says Menezes.*
The island is rich in resources ranging from uranium that can be used to power nuclear plants to obscure minerals critical for modern-day electronics.*
apple.news/ADUBx4ZdcRbmK5xmG_p4znw
For sure Trump has indeed harmed Europe (and ours) relationship with him.
You know Trump is unpopular here when people start saying "What a shame his would-be assassin missed" and they ain't joking. Nor was I when I agreed with them.....
CariadAgain
For sure Trump has indeed harmed Europe (and ours) relationship with him.
You know Trump is unpopular here when people start saying "What a shame his would-be assassin missed" and they ain't joking. Nor was I when I agreed with them.....
We certainly know now that we have got to step up and take more responsibility for our own destiny. We cant hang on to the US coat tails for ever, not only defence but productivity, a service economy has got us into the poor state we are now
I’ve educated myself this afternoon. World geography has never been my strong point. For the similarly geographically impaired, this World Maps short explanation of Greenland’s size is fascinating. You know what they say, the more I learn, the less I think I know.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK7yTJ8Mk7A
Casdon
AGAA4
Russia cheering Trump on to take Greenland is worrying. BBC news.
I don’t think that’s a surprise. It would in Putin’s eyes justify his invasion of Ukraine.
The disagreements between Trump and other NATO members will be pleasing him even more.
Casdon
I’ve educated myself this afternoon. World geography has never been my strong point. For the similarly geographically impaired, this World Maps short explanation of Greenland’s size is fascinating. You know what they say, the more I learn, the less I think I know.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK7yTJ8Mk7A
It struck me as a kid as we had a globe at home. why do we use these maps I said at school. Because everyone does was the answer.
But it alway s been political to have the USA and the Brit and European empires look big and have Africa and South America look tiny.
It's the largest island in the world, as large as Western Europe, but looks larger on maps because of that phenomenon. Of course, mostly covered in an ice sheet.
Wyllow3
Casdon
I’ve educated myself this afternoon. World geography has never been my strong point. For the similarly geographically impaired, this World Maps short explanation of Greenland’s size is fascinating. You know what they say, the more I learn, the less I think I know.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK7yTJ8Mk7AIt struck me as a kid as we had a globe at home. why do we use these maps I said at school. Because everyone does was the answer.
But it alway s been political to have the USA and the Brit and European empires look big and have Africa and South America look tiny.
why do we use these maps I said at school. Because everyone does was the answer.
Because globes weren't easy to carry in a satchel like a map or atlas!
We have a globe too.
Who knows what T will do, I don’t think he does hour to hour.
Doubtless we will all hear about Trump’s offer for Greenland at the Davos summit.
Whether we want to or not. Idle curiosity prevents me from not listening I guess.
Why on earth hasn't KS gone? Will his absence 'calm things down' or just show how weak he is when it comes to dealing with the orange one?
Smileless2012
Why on earth hasn't KS gone? Will his absence 'calm things down' or just show how weak he is when it comes to dealing with the orange one?
I am surprised KS hasn’t gone, he is on record saying that he feels that WFE, Davos, is where he feels most comfortable…
He can't win, can he? If he attends foreign meetings he gets accused of neglecting home interests, if he doesn't go he gets accused of not looking after British interests. tbh I would like to see what Starmer actually said about Davos. He did say this before he became PM,
"Once you get out of Westminster whether it’s Davos or anywhere else, you actually engage with people that you can see working with in the future. Westminster is just a tribal shouting place." I think this shows he recognised that in politics you need to get to know influential people so you can work with them to the benefit of the British people. I think he should stay away from Davos, he's made his point clearly and now it's time for the other European leaders to make theirs.
There is actually more strength in making your point against an exhibitionist transgressor calmly and adding any "good" points you can than in raging against someone who thrives on controversy and conflict. Starmer started his broadcast with the "good" bits and then slid into the rebukes.
I think the other European leaders have already shown more kickback against the US taking over Greenland and tariffs than Starmer has!
Having said that,he may feel that the less said at the moment the better.
foxie48
He can't win, can he? If he attends foreign meetings he gets accused of neglecting home interests, if he doesn't go he gets accused of not looking after British interests. tbh I would like to see what Starmer actually said about Davos. He did say this before he became PM,
"Once you get out of Westminster whether it’s Davos or anywhere else, you actually engage with people that you can see working with in the future. Westminster is just a tribal shouting place." I think this shows he recognised that in politics you need to get to know influential people so you can work with them to the benefit of the British people. I think he should stay away from Davos, he's made his point clearly and now it's time for the other European leaders to make theirs.
foxie48 I agree in as much as KS is damned if he attends Davos, and damned if he doesn’t
I am more than happy to admit when I am wrong, and in the past I have been critical of him being out of the country and appearing to be putting U.K. parliamentary business second. This is in part to the dreadful (or total lack of) a decent comms team in No.10.
In what is beginning to look like the rearrangement of the world order as we have been used to since WWII, it would in my opinion, be beneficial for our PM to be seen at Davos amongst the world leaders and money people.
"Sir Keir Starmer isn't a man to shoot his mouth off in public. He tends to pick his words carefully and avoid exaggeration or hyperbole.
That is exactly what he did today, but with a clear subtext: the events of the last 48 hours or so had crossed a rubicon. Downing Street's long running attempts to avoid, wherever possible, public disagreements with the White House had run their course."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgykp22yk7o Chris Mason Political editor 19 January 2026
"Beware the anger of a quiet man"
In the words of Carney- “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu”.
GrannyGravy13
foxie48
He can't win, can he? If he attends foreign meetings he gets accused of neglecting home interests, if he doesn't go he gets accused of not looking after British interests. tbh I would like to see what Starmer actually said about Davos. He did say this before he became PM,
"Once you get out of Westminster whether it’s Davos or anywhere else, you actually engage with people that you can see working with in the future. Westminster is just a tribal shouting place." I think this shows he recognised that in politics you need to get to know influential people so you can work with them to the benefit of the British people. I think he should stay away from Davos, he's made his point clearly and now it's time for the other European leaders to make theirs.foxie48 I agree in as much as KS is damned if he attends Davos, and damned if he doesn’t
I am more than happy to admit when I am wrong, and in the past I have been critical of him being out of the country and appearing to be putting U.K. parliamentary business second. This is in part to the dreadful (or total lack of) a decent comms team in No.10.
In what is beginning to look like the rearrangement of the world order as we have been used to since WWII, it would in my opinion, be beneficial for our PM to be seen at Davos amongst the world leaders and money people.
In what is beginning to look like the rearrangement of the world order as we have been used to since WWII, it would in my opinion, be beneficial for our PM to be seen at Davos amongst the world leaders and money people.
I agree.
How did this Forum become so influential in such a short time anyway?
Are political leaders just pawns and not in fact running world affairs at all?
I read that Starmer had decided to go to Davos if he could arrange a meeting with Trump.
But given Chagos and Trumps latest outpourings to the Norwegian PM - I think that ship has sailed.
Keir Starmer has stood up to Trump in a calm and measured way. He has told him he is wrong on Greenland.
He hasn't issued threats like other leaders or used personal insults. I think that is the wrong way with Trump who thrives on confrontation.
I'm not sure whether KS should go to Davis.
Perhaps he doesn't want to be part of any bickering between Trump and other leaders.
Davos!
Elegran
"Beware the anger of a quiet man"
A lovely poem.
A wise old owl lived in an oak,
The more he saw, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard,
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?
Not saying this is how Keir Starmer behaves but it is a lesson to all in positions of authority
I was interested that Trump's plane 'had a problem' and his trip to Davos was delayed. Needed time to think? Needed to calm down and have a rest?
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