Greenland, Grok and grotesque. That just about sums up the state of politics in this moment of time. Donald Trump and his administration have been ratcheting up demands to seize Greenland. Brazen and aggressive the US president has unsubtly threatened European leaders and has focused his attacks on the three weaknesses of the continent.
The first is that it is a military gnat compared with the US and Russia, and remains hugely dependent on American firepower to protect Ukraine.
The second is the over-dependence of Europe on America economically, and the lopsided balance of trade. Trump has already announced new tariffs against eight countries (including the UK) from February 1st, with a threat that they will increase to 25 per cent on June 1st if his territorial claims for Greenland have not been met.
And the third is how politically puny Europe is and the grim reality of the union: that as much divides the EU 27 as unites them when it comes to the big decisions. That has been cruelly exposed during the Gaza genocide, with divisions over supporting Ukraine, and with the limp responses to Grok, and to Trump’s tariffs.
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Now in the face of this incredible ultimatum from the US president, European leaders have been left reeling. It will be a week of decisions. Does Europe bend the knee or does it resist? And if it resists, what will be the consequences?
Much of the focus this week will be in Brussels where a series of crisis meetings will culminate with a hastily-arranged summit on Thursday.
At this moment, diplomacy is still the currency. Our main story this morning reports that European leaders are hoping diplomacy will cool temperatures and prevent an all-out trade war.
Yet, at the same time contingencies are being worked on to counter Trump’s “blackmail” should efforts to find a resolution fail.
Reciprocal tariffs of more than €90 million could be triggered. French president Emmanuel Macron has proposed the “big bazooka”, an anti-coercion instrument that would partially block big US companies (including those in the technology sector) from doing business in Europe. However, Macron’s stridency is not matched by other leaders.
Simon Harris, who was in Brussels for an Ecofin meeting, is quoted as saying that Europe is facing an “existential moment”. He has stressed the need for dialogue. British prime minister Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrick Merz struck a less defiant tone than Macron, but said they would defend their interests.
Stopover week for Martin
Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s week will comprise of flying visits. Yesterday, he presided over two meetings of senior ministers, one on how to address the Grok “nudification” controversy. It decided that the Republic will use its six-month presidency of the European Union to work on prohibiting the generation of non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material.
Earlier he met Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee, Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne and officials from the Department of Finance to explore the impact new US tariffs would have on Irish trade and to discuss the approach of the Government at EU talks on the crisis.
He will be in Dublin today but will fly immediately after Leaders’ Questions tomorrow to the Swiss ski resort of Davos for the World Economic Forum, where 65 leaders will attend. The one on whom most focus will be directed is, of course, Trump.
On Thursday, Martin will cut short his visit to that summit to attend the summit of EU leaders in Brussels over Trump’s territorial claims to Greenland.
Best reads
Caroline O’Doherty reports that new powers will allow the Minister for the Environment to grant permission directly for the State’s gas reserve.
Fintan O’Toole has a list of things explaining why Ireland is so badly governed, including inefficient spending and TDs lobbying to get quicker driving tests for constituents.
UCD academic Ben Tonra suggests that Donald Trump is almost pursuing a personal vendetta against Europe but says what the US president is threatening must be taken seriously.
Quote of the day
This extraordinary and unnerving passage from Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre.
“Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize... I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant ... Denmark cannot protect that land [Greenland] from Russia or China ... The world is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”
Playbook
Cabinet
Second meeting of 2026 this morning. The two big domestic items are the unveiling of plans for a new housing stimulus. This will be a €1 billion fund available to local authorities, the Land Development Agency and to State utilities to construct the infrastructure and services that will help make new housing developments possible. Details of the plan will be announced by Minister for Housing James Browne, who is up against it following the publication of very poor 2025 commencement figures last week.
Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan is also bringing the report written by Prof Niamh Brennan into the Arts Council’s disastrous foray into acquiring a new IT system. In advance of the meeting O’Donovan has promised “significant changes” in the council.
The sponsoring department dodged a bullet in the initial hue and cry but Brennan reiterates criticisms of its less than stellar performance in reporting issues up the chain of command. The problems that were emerging were all shared by the Arts Council with the department but were never reported upwards to the most senior levels.
Dáil
2pm Leaders’ Questions
3.04pm: Bills for Introduction: Agri-Food Regulator (Amendment) Bill 2026
3.10pm: Referral to Committee: Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 – Order for Committee Stage
3.11pm: Taoiseach’s Questions
3.56pm: Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 – Second Stage
7.20pm: Private Members’ Business (Sinn Féin): Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill 2025 (Second Stage)
9.20pm: Parliamentary Questions: Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan
11.57pm: Dáil adjourns
Seanad
2pm: Commencement
3pm: Order of Business
5.30pm: Mental Health Bill 2024 – Committee Stage
8pm: Seanad adjourns
Committees
3.30pm: Committee on Budgetary Oversight
The Future Forty Report: A Fiscal and Economic Outlook to 2065
3pm: Joint Committee Justice, Home Affairs
Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of a General Scheme: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025
3pm: Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs
Discussion on the situation in Sudan
3pm: Joint Committee on Housing
Discussion on Changing demographics, rural depopulation and housing strategy
