Main Points
- US president Donald Trump has said he will not impose threatened tariffs over Greenland following talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in Davos
- A framework has been formed on a future deal on the Danish territory, Trump said on Wednesday evening after a “very productive meeting” with Rutte
- The reversal on tariffs comes after Trump said he “won’t use force” to take Greenland in his address at the World Economic Forum
- Trump also said additional talks will be held on the “Golden Dome” missile defence system
- European Union leaders will still proceed with an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday despite the US U-turn on tariffs
Key Reads
- Jack Power in Brussels: Trump seems to blink first ahead of high-stakes EU summit
- Denmark welcomes Trump’s move to drop tariff threat over Greenland
- European stocks flat despite some cooling of Trump’s Greenland rhetoric
- Miriam Lord: Three more Trump years? For God’s sake, Holly, don’t remind us of Ol’ Fanta Face
That’s all from our live coverage of today’s events.
Thank you for reading and we will be back tomorrow with all the latest coverage of Donald Trump and the ongoing situation with Greenland.
Good night.
Germany’s finance minister Lars Klingbeil warned against premature optimism after Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland and said a deal was in sight.
“It’s good that they are engaged in dialogue, but we have to wait a bit and not get our hopes up too soon,” Klingbeil told Germany’s ZDF television, after Trump had emerged from a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. - Reuters
Nato statement says Trump and Rutte discussed “collective security” in Arctic, with no mention of US acquiring Greenland.
In a statement from a Nato spokesperson, Allison Hart, to the US broadcaster MSNOW, which was framed as a comment “following President Trump’s announcement of a ‘concept of a deal’ related to Greenland”.
The Nato statement, did not confirm that any deal or concept of a deal had been agreed.
Instead, the statement said that Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, had “a very productive meeting” with Trump “during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States.”
Those discussion, the statement added, focused on “collective security” of the Nato allies.
“Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold – economically or militarily – in Greenland.” - Guardian
Trump says “deal” over Greenland is “really fantastic for the USA”.
“It’s a deal that people jumped at, uh, really fantastic for the USA; gets everything we wanted, including especially real national security, and international security,” Trump said.
When asked “how so?” he said, “well, the deal is going to be put out pretty soon, and we will see. It’s right now a little bit in progress, but pretty far along. It gets us everything that we needed to get.”
Trump went on to say that Rutte, “was representing the other side, which is really us too, because we’re you know a very important member of Nato … and it’s really nice, I mean it’s a deal that everybody’s very happy with.”
Pressed to say if the agreement gave the US ownership of Greenland, as he has demanded, Trump paused for a while before saying: “Um … it’s a long-term deal. It’s the ultimate long-term deal.” - Guardian
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he welcomes the news that Trump has scrapped the proposed tariffs.
Speaking with RTÉ, he said, “I think it reflects what I’ve been consistently saying, that the only way to resolve issues of this kind is through dialogue, through discussion and through engagement. That is the key.
“It’s particularly welcome that a framework has been developed that will facilitate discussions between all involved.
“Collectively, we need to de-escalate this situation. We need to dial down and engage in those areas that matter: economy, society,” he said.
“I’m taking the opportunity to meet with many companies who are located in Ireland, who have significant investments in Ireland, and obviously they want stability. “They want certainty in world politics to facilitate economic development and so do we in Ireland.
“So this is welcome and I pay tribute to all those involved in the discussions that led to this,” he said, speaking in Davos where he is meeting Apple boss, Tim Cook.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Trump’s stand on acquiring Greenland was of no concern to Russia.
Putin, quoted by Russian news agencies, told the Russian Security Council that the situation brought to mind Russia’s 19th century sale of Alaska to the United States.
He estimated the current value of Greenland at $200-250 million. – Reuters
The withdrawal of the threat of additional tariffs on European countries by Trump is “a welcome development,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris.
Harris said the “significant development” gave “credence and credibility” to the EU’s strategy.
He said the bloc had “maintained cool heads” and had not responded to “every bit of political noise” nor “every Truth Social post”.
In a statement, he said: “There’s much detail to emerge, and there’s still obviously much volatility, but today we have heard the President of the United States rule out force in relation to Greenland.
“We’ve also now seen in the last number of minutes him withdraw as a threat of additional tariffs.
“But it is important we continue to work collectively as a European Union, and collectively to stand up for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland – Greenland being a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“And also collectively work to seek the full implementation of the trade agreements that we already agreed with the US administration – an agreement that is key to protecting economic activity on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Nato’s Mark Rutte had a very productive meeting with Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all allies, said a Nato spokesperson. – Reuters
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said in a post on X: “I welcome news that Trump has dropped his threat of tariffs for now.
“This will be a relief to businesses who are already facing so many challenges.
“It is also good to hear Trump rule out the use of force in Greenland. Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.”
Trump hasn’t released any information about the “framework” of a future deal on Greenland but in the interview with CNBC, said that a deal would include Nato’s involvement on his sought-after missile defence system known as the “Golden Dome”, as well as “mineral rights” for the US. – The Guardian
Trump said that Russian president Vladimir Putin had accepted his invitation to join the Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.
Putin says that Russia’s foreign ministry is studying Trump’s proposal to join the Board of Peace and will reply in due course. – Reuters
Trump told CNBC on Wednesday that the framework Greenland deal that he announced will be a long-term agreement whose details will be revealed down the line.
Trump earlier on Wednesday abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, and said a deal was in sight to end the dispute.
“It’s a little bit complex,” Trump said about the deal, saying it will be explained “down the line.”
“This is forever,” Trump about his Greenland deal in the CNBC interview. – Reuters
The office of Gavin Newsom, the California governor, said his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos was cancelled under pressure from the Trump administration.
Newsom had been scheduled to sit down with Fortune at an event sponsored by USA House, the country’s official headquarters at the annual gathering of world and economic leaders. But before the talk was due to begin, his team says, the USA House bowed to political pressure from the Trump administration and denied the governor entry.
“Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune – the official media partner – invited him to speak,” the governor’s office said in a statement shared on its official account.
Newsom shared the statement on social media, adding: “How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared of a fireside chat?” – Guardian
Trump has said “it looks like we have the concept of a deal.”
He said the Greenland deal is everything he wanted.
“It’s a deal that everyone is happy with.”
He said he will explain the deal down the line and it will last forever.
He also said he hopes there will be no further action on Iran. – Reuters
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says, “The day ends better than it started; positive that Trump says he will end this trade war.”
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria M Stenergard posted on X in Swedish, which when translated reads, “Good that Trump has now also backed away from tariffs against us who have supported Denmark and Greenland. The demands for relocated borders have received well-deserved harsh criticism. That is also why we have repeatedly stated that we will not let ourselves be blackmailed. It seems that our work together with allies has had an effect.”
European Union leaders will proceed with an emergency summit on Thursday even after US President Donald Trump rowed back on his threats of tariffs against some countries over Greenland, a council spokesperson said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Trump’s former tariff threats were imposed on to eight Nato countries who opposed his ambitions to take Greenland, which have since been dropped.
He previously said he would impose 10 per cent tariffs “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1st and 25 per cent tariffs from June 1st until a deal was agreed for the US purchase of Greenland. – PA
In a post on Truth Social Trump said, based upon a “very productive meeting” with the secretary general of Nato Mark Rutte they “have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”
He said: “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations.
“Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland.
“Further information will be made available as discussions progress. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others, as needed, will be responsible for the negotiations – They will report directly to me. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump also says additional discussions are being held concerning Golden Dome missile system as it pertains to Greenland.
He added that further information will be made available as discussions progress.
Vice-president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and various others as needed will be responsible for negotiations. – Reuters
Speaking after his meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, Trump says he has formed framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland. – Reuters
Trump says he will not be imposing tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. – Reuters
France rejected as “fake news,” Donald Trump’s assertion that he had pressured president Emmanuel Macron into hiking domestic drug prices after the US leader threatened sweeping tariffs on French imports to the United States.
It was the latest salvo in an escalating war of words between the two Nato allies as Trump’s threat to take control of Greenland and to impose tariffs on any country that stands in his way puts transatlantic relations under unprecedented strain.
“It is being claimed that President @Emmanuel Macron increased the price of medicines,” the French presidency wrote on social media platform X.
“He does not set their prices. They are regulated by the social security system and have, in fact, remained stable. Anyone who has set foot in a French pharmacy knows this.”
The Élysée used a GIF of Trump mouthing the words “fake news” in front of a microphone, with the same words in writing underneath. – Reuters
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni says she can’t join Trump’s Board of Peace immediately, as she needs further time to review it. – Reuters
Iran’s foreign minister issued the most direct threat yet on Wednesday against the United States after Tehran’s bloody crackdown on protesters, warning the Islamic Republic will be “firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack”.
The comments by Abbas Araghchi, who saw his invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos rescinded over the killings, come as a US aircraft carrier group moves westward toward the Middle East from Asia.
US fighter jets and other equipment appear to be moving in the Middle East after a major US military deployment in the Caribbean saw troops seize Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro.
Later on Wednesday, Iranian state TV issued the first official death toll from recent protests, saying 3,117 people were killed.
State television carried a statement by the Martyrs Foundation providing the toll and saying 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began on December 28 were civilians and security forces. It did not elaborate on the rest.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the death toll from the protests had reached at least 4,560 people. – AP
US president Donald Trump said he would discuss Greenland with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, speaking ahead of their meeting on Wednesday alongside the World Economic Forum, where he earlier renewed his call to acquire the Danish territory.
Rutte told Trump Nato allies would defend the US if it ever came under attack. Trump said he hoped that was true.
Trump added that while Rutte’s statement was “nice”, the US still needed Greenland. – Reuters
Britain has “more than done our bit” for Nato, Nigel Farage said, in opposition to Donald Trump’s suggestion the United States did not benefit from being part of the alliance.
The Reform UK leader also suggested the world would be “more secure” if the US was in Greenland but signalled he disagreed with the president over his ambitions for the island.
Mr Trump used an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to double down on his threats to annex the Arctic island, a self-governing territory of Nato ally Denmark.
He claimed the United States has “never gotten anything” from being part of Nato and is only asking for Greenland in return for its support.
The president told the gathering of world leaders and business chiefs: “I mean, we’ve helped them for so many years. We’ve never gotten anything except we pay for Nato ... and all we’re asking for is to get Greenland.”
Speaking shortly afterwards, Mr Farage signalled he agreed with the US leader’s “push” for other Nato members to up their defence spending.
But he added: “He said Nato have never given us anything back. I would object to that politely by saying this: when the decision was made to go into Afghanistan, we went in with America and the coalition of the willing.
“We stayed by America for the whole 20 years, we proportionately spent the same money as America, we lost the same number of lives as America pro rata, and the same applies actually to Denmark and other countries too.
“So it’s not quite fair. Yes, in money terms, America has provided more. In terms of surveillance equipment etc, America still provides more, but we have when it comes to honouring our commitments to America more than done our bit in terms of action over the last 20 years.
“I want to make that point very, very clear. And I’m a big fan of the president, I’m a friend of the president, but I think it’s right to say that friends can disagree.” – PA
The Norwegian finance minister and former Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has told CNN it was “important” that Donald Trump had ruled out using military force to annex Greenland.
Of course, that is an important message, because up to now many were afraid that he actually was going to threaten to use force to acquire Greenland.
Nonetheless, he continued, Greenland and Denmark’s “territorial integrity should be respected by all”.
Stoltenberg also noted to CNN that politicians should be careful while texting each other, as “it may become public”.
It comes after Trump shared text messages from other leaders on social media earlier this week, including Norway’s PM Jonas Gahr Støre and French president Emmanuel Macron. – Reuters
Eoin Burke-Kennedy’s Analysis of Trump’s Speech at Davos
No previous US president had ever travelled to Europe after threatening to seize part of it against the wishes of its people but here he was – boastful, contemptuous – championing policies that may have already blown a hole in Nato and changed the transatlantic alliance forever, writes Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy.
Donald Trump has, like no other politician before him, figured out how to turn entertainment into raw political power.
His Davos 2026 moment came after a week of withering insults and threats designed to humiliate European leaders but also to ensure that his address to the World Economic Forum (WEF) would be box office.
On Greenland, a topic that has led to the worst crisis in transatlantic relations since the second World War, he appeared to pledge not to use force to take the Arctic island.
“People thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” he said.
The US president said he was “seeking immediate negotiations” to discuss the acquisition of Greenland, “just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history”.
But taking military action off the table came with a threat.
“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it ... They have a choice. You can say yes and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember.”
Translation: give me Greenland or I will tariff the hell out of you.
For full analysis from Eoin Burke-Kennedy, read:
European Parliament suspends ratification of US trade deal
The European Parliament has formally suspended the ratification process on its US trade deal, in protest against Donald Trump’s threat to impose 10 per cent tariffs on EU exports unless the bloc agrees he can take over Greenland.
The pause is the strongest material response the EU has shown so far to what several leaders last week called blackmail.
Bernd Lange, head of the European Parliament trade committee, said until “the threats [on Greenland] are over there will be no possibility for compromise” on ratifying the US deal which promised Americans a new era of 0 per cent tariffs on many industrial exports.
Lange confirmed that the EU’s promise to buy $750 billion (€641 billion) of energy would not be affected by the decision as it was separate to the tariff deal. – Reuters
If the Taoiseach is invited to the US to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, “the decision can no longer be about extending the hand of friendship through a bowl of shamrock”, Labour spokesman Duncan Smith has told the Dáil, reports Parliamentary Correspondent Marie O’Halloran.
“If the Government chooses to accept it, it should be about delivering a message,” he said. “If we’re in the midst of a trade war, it might be an opportunity to engage to de-escalate.
“Of course, we may be in a position where to boycott that meeting is the right course of the action. All options should be on the table. We are not in normal times, but we need to be strong in whatever actions we choose to take.”
Mr Smith said the United States was no longer a trusted ally of the EU. “The way in which the current administration is acting in the United States is increasingly imperialistic autocratic, and fascist.”
Quoting the words in Davos of Canadian prime minister Mark Carney “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”, he said “there is a chance to build something better from the ashes of a partnership with an economic bully that’s been led by a tyrant”.
Speaking during the Dáil debate on international developments, he said “we cannot be complacent to think that Donald Trump and administration are an aberration.
“This movement could continue beyond Trump, and we need to plan for that,” and “we do need to plan for a hard divorce”.
Which countries have accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace?
Countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt.
Nato members Turkey and Hungary have agreed to take part.
Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, and Vietnam have also agreed.
Others which have accepted include Armenia and Azerbaijan and the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko
Russia and China have not yet said if they will join.
Norway and Sweden have declined his invitation, while Italy’s Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said joining the board appeared problematic.
France also intends to decline the invitation.
Canada said it has agreed “in principle” to join but that the details were still being worked out. Other key US allies including Britain, Germany and Japan have not yet taken a clear public stance.
Ukraine has said its diplomats are examining the invitation but president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said it is hard for him to imagine being on any board with Russia after four years of war.
Pope Leo, the first US pontiff and a critic of some of Trump’s policies, has been invited to join the board and is evaluating the proposal, the Vatican said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Slovenia’s prime minister Robert Golob said on Wednesday his country will not accept an invitation from Trump to join his so-called “Board of Peace”.
Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join the US-led initiative, which he would chair and would initially aim to end the conflict in Gaza but then be expanded to tackle wars elsewhere.
“The main concern is that the committee’s mandate is too broad and that it could dangerously undermine the international order based on the United Nations Charter,” the N1 news web portal quoted Golob as saying.
“Although we find any initiative that can calm the situation in the Middle East to be commendable, this invitation dangerously encroaches on the broader international order and not just on pacification in Gaza,” he said. – Reuters
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has said that the world would be “better” and “more secure” place if Greenland was part of the US.
But he has also said that, as a believer in self-determination, he was opposed to Trump suggesting the US should have it regardless of the wishes of Greenlanders.
“You must respect the rights and views of the Greenlanders, because that is what national self-determination is,” he said.
Speaking at an event at Davos, he said: “I have no doubt that the world would be a better, more secure place if a strong America was in Greenland, because of the geopolitics of the High North, because of the retreating ice caps and because of the continued expansionism of Russian icebreakers, of Chinese investment.
“So yes, would America owning in Greenland be better for the world in terms of safety and stronger for Nato? It would.” – Reuters
Trump’s rhetoric ‘appears to resemble very little of reality’, Dáil hears
Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said Trump in his speech at Davos “is rhetorically tilting at windmills, a bit more like Don Quixote than Donald Trump”.
Some of the president’s language and rhetoric “is remarkable and appears to resemble very little of reality”, write Marie O’Halloran.
Speaking during the Dáil debate on international developments, Mr Ó Laoghaire said:
“I think it has to be clear that bully-boy tactics can never be accepted from the United States or any international actors. They cannot be normalised.
“Threats to impose tariffs against European countries that would thwart his acquisition, and it is very much driven by him and his personal obsession, are scandalous.”
Mr Ó Laoghaire said it was high time for Ireland to “consider more broadly its place in the world’s economy”.
He said “the Government must begin a plan for diversifying in terms of markets we trade with, with a view to future trade missions.
“The United States, Britain and Europe will always be crucial trading partners for reasons of language, culture and long, deep relationships, but there is a potential to deepen trade with other countries in southeast Asia, emerging markets and other countries that have faced challenges in terms of tariffs such as Canada and Mexico.”
Speaking in Britain’s parliament before Trump took to the stage at Davos, British prime minister Keir Starmer said he would not yield to pressure by the US president on his opposition to his demands to acquire Greenland.
“I will not yield, Britain will not yield, on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position,” Starmer said.
He also said the Danish prime minister would visit London on Thursday.
In response to questions from British lawmakers urging Starmer to go further in standing against Trump, Starmer said it was still important to work with the US on issues such as Ukraine.
“That does not mean we agree with the US on everything,” he said. “But it is foolhardy to think that we should rip up our relationship with the US.” – Reuters
McEntee reiterates Ireland’s stance on Greenland
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has reiterated Ireland’s position on Greenland, that its future “is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people in line with well-established democratic principles and international law”, writes our Parliamentary Correspondent Marie O’Halloran.
Opening a Dáil debate on international developments Ms McEntee said “we have also been clear, along with our EU partners, in communicating our commitment to the international legal order”.
She told TDs: “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter. We continue to advocate for the resolution of international disputes through dialogue.”
Speaking before the European Parliament decided to suspend its work on the EU’s trade deal with the US, the Minister said “we continue to advocate for the resolution of international disputes through dialogue”.
“The EU and US joint statement that was issued in August last year provided a degree of much-needed certainty and confirmed a single 15 per cent US tariff on EU goods.”
“We will work to maintain that co-operation during our EU presidency this year, where it is appropriate and valuable to do so,” Ms McEntee said.
“In the meantime, Ireland will continue to co-ordinate closely with EU partners and consider all potential courses of action for the transatlantic relationship, guided by what will best serve Irish and European citizens.”
Trump will meet with president Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine in Davos on Thursday.
Trump said Zelenskiy and Russian president Vladimir Putin are “reasonably close” to reaching a deal to end Europe’s biggest conflict since the second World War as the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches, Reuters reports.
The US president is also scheduled to meet with the leaders of Poland, Egypt and Switzerland and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday.
Trump chided Mark Carney in his speech in Davos on Wednesday after the Canadian prime minister delivered a rousing address on a “rupture” in the international rules-based order.
The US president reserved strong words for Carney, who received a standing ovation for his remarks at the forum on Tuesday.
“They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said. In his special address, Carney expressed Canada’s desire to forge new alliances with like-minded countries as he navigates a tricky relationship with the Trump administration in Washington.
“We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” Carney said, pointing to how “great powers” were using economic integration as weapons and tariffs as leverage. He did not directly name Trump or the United States.
“We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn’t mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy,” he said. Trump has previously threatened to annex Canada, and on Tuesday shared an AI image of a map showing Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. – Reuters
Denmark’s foreign minister has said that Trump’s statement that he would not use force to take Greenland was positive.
The comments from Lars Lokke Rasmussen come despite Trump’s ambitions to acquire the island remaining intact.
Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland’s Davos, Trump earlier on Wednesday said he would not use force to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, but repeated his goal to make the island part of the United States. – Reuters
The Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy is in Davos today.
He joined host Ciarán Hancock earlier on the Inside Business podcast to discuss Trump’s domineering effect on the World Economic Forum.
Old order ‘not coming back’ as Trump overshadows World Economic Forum
European Parliament suspends work on trade deal with US
Thanks to my colleague Órla Ryan for her earlier work on today’s coverage.
Away from Davos, the European Parliament has decided to suspend its work on the European Union’s trade deal with the United States in protest at US president Donald Trump’s demands to acquire Greenland and threats of tariffs on European allies who oppose his plan.
The EU assembly has been debating legislative proposals to remove many EU import duties on US goods, a key part of the agreement struck in Turnberry, Scotland, at the end of July, as well as to continue zero duties for US lobsters, initially agreed with Trump in 2020.
The proposals require approval by the parliament and EU governments. Many lawmakers have complained that the trade deal is lopsided, with the EU required to cut most import duties while the US sticks to a broad rate of 15 per cent. However, they had previously appeared willing to accept it, albeit with conditions, such as an 18-month sunset clause and measures to respond to possible surges of US imports.
The trade committee of the European Parliament was due to set its position in votes on January 26th-27th. However this has now been postponed. – Reuters
Donald Trump’s full speech can be watched below.
Perhaps most notably, he said this about his plans to acquire Greenland:
“You can say yes, and we’ll be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember.”
‘Europe united in response to Trump’ – Harris
Europe will be united in its response to any fresh tariffs imposed by the US amid the row over Greenland and Trump “doesn’t have all the cards”, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said.
He was speaking at a press conference on housing in Dublin in advance of Trump’s address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, political correspondent Cormac McQuinn writes.
Harris, who is also the Minister for Finance, confirmed that officials in his department are conducting modelling on the impact of any new tariffs.
He said the situation is an “an existential moment” with “noise and threats” and a US president “refusing to rule out the annexation of Greenland, a country that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark”.
He said: “If we were to get to that point, in any manner or means, that would fundamentally alter the transatlantic relationship.”
Harris said modelling the impact on the Irish economy is “not an exact science” and “what those models can’t capture is what happens if the transatlantic relationship, as we know it, doesn’t exist into the future”.
However, he added it is “a time for cool heads” and that regardless of the “noise ” nothing has factually changed and there is a period up to Trump’s stated February 1st deadline for the new tariffs on certain European countries.
Harris said Europe will “respond without delay, in a united fashion, to any tariffs that are imposed above and beyond the agreement reached between the US and the EU”.
He also said: “President Trump has talked a lot about cards, who has the cards, Let’s be really clear, president Trump doesn’t have all the cards.”
Harris noted he was in the US last week “meeting some of the biggest global multinational companies in the world”.
“Regardless of politics and regardless of who’s in the Oval Office, they want to continue to do business in Europe.
“They need to continue to have presence here in the European Union. They know that Ireland is a good country in which to do the business. So there is a way to go here.”
He said there will be talks among European leaders this week and a likely special meeting of the European Commission on Friday.
Trump, who spoke for about one hour and 12 minutes, has now concluded his address in Davos.
While the world digests what he said – and he said a lot – some early reviews are not so positive:
During his speech, Trump repeated a baseless claim that the US “gave back” Greenland to Denmark after the second World War.
It’s a common refrain from the president, but it’s worth noting that the United States has never owned the autonomous territory.
It’s been a part of the Kingdom of Denmark for centuries, a fact that is established under international law, and recognised by the US.
While the US did set up military bases in Greenland (via a wartime security agreement with Denmark) during the second World War, it didn’t confer any actual ownership.
In 1946, then-president Harry Truman secretly pitched to buy Greenland, but it was ultimately rejected by the Danish. – Guardian
Trump, who has now been speaking for over an hour, also talked about his plans to bring down the cost of living in the US.
He called his predecessor Joe Biden a “horrible president”.
Trump said he signed an executive order yesterday which tries to advance his effort to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes.
He said he will announce the identity of the next chair of the Federal Reserve very soon. “He” will do a very good job, Trump predicts without naming anyone.
All the candidates are “great”, he said, before hitting out at the “terrible” current chairman, Jerome Powell.
Trump joked about French president Emmanuel Macron wearing “beautiful” sunglasses indoors at the Davos forum yesterday, asking him: “What the hell happened?”
(Macron earlier said he wore the sunglasses as he is battling a “harmless” eye condition.)
Now rambling somewhat, Trump said he spoke with Macron some time ago about the need to raise the price of prescriptions and drugs, as “they have been getting away with this scam for a long time”.
He said Macron repeatedly refused to do that, but he threatened him with punitive 25 per cent tariffs on “everything that you sell into the US and a 100 per cent tariff on your wines and champagnes” and it took him “three minutes” to get him to say he would comply.
Trump said he asked Macron to double the cost of prescriptions because “you have been screwing us for 30 years”.
“I actually like him, it’s hard to believe,” he said of Macron.
The US president claimed he has brought down drug prices by 2,000 per cent. The “fake news” might only call it a 90 per cent reduction, he said, but that sounds “much worse” – although it’s more accurate.
Speaking about Ukraine, Trump said it was “a war that should have never started”, adding “it wouldn’t have started if the 2020 US presidential election weren’t rigged”.
Trump again claimed he has settled a number of wars while in office, including the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, mispronouncing the latter.
“President Putin called me, he said, ‘You know, I can’t believe I’ve worked in that war for 10 years trying to settle it, I couldn’t do it.’
“I said, ‘Do me a favour, focus on settling your war, don’t worry about that.’”
Returning to Ukraine a few minutes later, Trump described it as a “bloodbath” and “worse than the second World War”.
He said he is “dealing with president Putin and he wants to make a deal”, and he is also “dealing with president Zelenskiy” and meeting with him later today.
Trump also said he wants to build the “greatest Golden Dome” (a missile defence system) ever over Greenland to protect Nato.
He said if there’s ever a nuclear war, “those missiles will be flying right over the centre of that piece of ice” (how he keeps referring to Greenland).
Trump said the installation of the dome would also protect Canada, saying “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us” and prime minister Mark Carney should be “grateful”.
The US president also said Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu should not claim credit for the Golden Dome technology, as it’s American.
Trump said the “problem” with Nato is that “we’ll be there for them 100 per cent but I’m not sure that they will be there for us if we gave them the call, ‘Gentlemen, we are being attacked’ ...
“I’m not sure that they’d be there. I know we’d be there for them. I don’t know that they’d be there for us. So with all of the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears, I don’t know that they’d be there for us.”
Earlier, Rutte said European allies would indeed help the US if needed.
“I tell him yes, they will, as they did on the on the 11th of September in 2001, when for the first and only time, the article five was triggered.”
He said the US and EU “need to each other for our collective protection”.
Trump said the US has never asked Nato for anything but is expected to protect other countries such as Ukraine, describing the situation as “a one-way street”.
“Now what I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection.
“It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”
Trump: I want Greenland but I won’t use force
Addressing Mark Rutte, secretary general of Nato, Trump said: “Hello, Mark, [the US] never asked for anything, and we never got anything. We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won’t do that.”
Trump continued: “Now everyone is saying, ‘Oh, good.’
“That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.
“All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago, after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and others in second World War, we gave it back to them.”
It’s a common refrain from the president, but it’s worth noting that the US has never owned the autonomous territory.
Trump seeking ‘immediate negotiations’ to acquire Greenland
Speaking about Greenland, Trump said the United States is the only country “that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it’s good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us”.
“That’s the reason I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition in Greenland by the United States.
“Just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history.”
Trump said Greenland was a “key strategic location” between the US, Russia and China, “right smack in the middle” between the three, and the US needed it as its “core national security interest”.
Trump said, in the second World War, “Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland”.
He said US forces saved Greenland at the time “at great cost and expense”.
“We fought for Denmark. We weren’t fighting for anyone else. We were fighting to save it for Denmark. Big, beautiful piece of ice. It’s hard to call it land. It’s a big piece of ice,” Trump said.
He goes on to tell the crowd, if the US didn’t intervene in the war: “You’d all be speaking German and little Japanese perhaps, after the war.”
Trump said the US was “stupid” to hand Greenland “back” to Denmark after the second World War, adding: “How ungrateful are they now?”
Now, what we’ve all been waiting for ...
“Would you like me to say a few words of Greenland?,” Trump asks to more laughter from the crowd.
“I was going to leave it out of the speech but I thought, I think, I would have been reviewed very negatively.
“I have tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark, tremendous respect.
“But every Nato ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory. And the fact is, no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States. We’re a great power, much greater than people even understand. I think they found that out two weeks ago in Venezuela.”
Trump is now criticising climate policy and the “green new scam”.
“Here in Europe, we’ve seen the fate that the radical left tried to impose on United States. They tried very hard. Germany now generates 22 per cent less electricity than it did in 2017 and it’s not the current chancellor’s fault.
“He’s solving the problem. He’s going to do a great job, but what they did before he got there, I guess that’s why he got there.”
Trump hits out at windmills, saying they are “losers” and “destroy” land.
“There are windmills all over Europe. There are windmills all over the place, and they are losers. One thing I’ve noticed is that the more windmills the country has, the more money that country loses and the worst that country is doing.
“China makes almost all of the windmills, and yet, I haven’t been able to find any wind farms in China. Did you ever think of that? It’s a good way of looking at it.
“They’re smart. China is very smart. They make them, they sell them for a fortune. They sell them to the stupid people that buy them, but they don’t use them themselves.”
Trump is now back talking about the US, and how he sees his track record, including his determination to lower taxes and cut bureaucracy.
He said experts were wrong in their predictions about what would be consequences of his policy.
Trump tells the crowd he wants to share his recipe for success in the US so other countries can follow it.
“Certain places in Europe are not even recognisable,” he said.
“We can argue about it, but there’s no argument. Friends come back from different places – I don’t want to insult anybody – and say, ‘I don’t recognise it’.
“And that’s not in a positive way, that’s in a very negative way. And I love Europe and I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction.”
Trump has spent the first few minutes of his speech listing his accomplishments from his first year in office.
“Just over one year ago, under the radical left Democrats, we were a dead country,” Trump said of the US.
“Now we are the hottest country anywhere in the world.
“In fact, the United States economy is on pace to grow at double the rate that was projected by the IMF just last April, and with my growth and tariff policies, it should be much higher. I really believe we can be much higher than that.”
Trump said that was “all great news, and it’s great for all nations”.
“The USA is the economic engine on the planet, and when United States booms, the entire world booms ...
“When it goes bad, it goes bad ... you all follow us down, and you follow us up.”
Trump said his “biggest surprise” was that he could improve the economy so much in a year, adding he thought it would take “more than a year, maybe, like, a year and one month” – to more laughter from the crowd.
He said “inflation has been defeated” on his watch.
The US annual inflation rate was 2.7 per cent in December, higher than the Federal Reserve’s 2 per cent target.
Trump is now delivering his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
He started by addressing the “distinguished guests”, noting he has “a few enemies” in the crowd – a remark that resulted in some laughter from attendees.
Echoing earlier comments from Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte, Norway’s defence minister Tore O Sandvik said that while the situation in Nato was difficult due to the crisis over Greenland, western allies must remember that Russia remains their main common adversary, Reuters reports.
“These are demanding times. The situation in Nato is difficult,” Sandvik told a meeting with foreign correspondents in Oslo. “The dimensional threat for the West, for Nato, (for) all members of Nato, still is Russia,” he said.
Trump has now landed in Davos, having been whisked up to the alpine ski resort in his helicopter, Marine One. He’s now being rushed to the World Economic Forum’s congress centre, right in the centre of Davos, in the Beast (his highly secure car).
– The Guardian
Tensions are certainly high at Davos this year. Bloomberg is reporting that ECB president Christine Lagarde left a VIP dinner last night, after US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick started laying into Europe, according to people familiar with the matter.
Delegates at the World Economic Forum are swarming around the main hall at the congress centre in Davos, desperate to get a good seat for Trump’s speech.
It’s still scheduled to start in about 30 minutes, despite the US president running a couple of hours behind schedule due to a technical issue with Air Force One.
– The Guardian
In an interview with ITV News, British chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted the “special relationship” between the UK and the US was still alive despite differences over Greenland.
Asked whether there was “anything left of the special relationship”, she said: “There absolutely is. And there’s no more special relationship on military, on strategic issues, than the relationship between the US and the UK.”
Reeves said she did not “accept” that the relationship was unravelling.
– Press Association
British prime minister Keir Starmer has said he will stand up to Donald Trump over his threats to annex Greenland.
The Labour Party leader, who will host Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Thursday, said he “will not yield” in his stance over the Arctic island.
At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Starmer said: “I have made my position clear on our principles and values.
“The first of those is that the future of Greenland is for the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.
“The second is that threats of tariffs to pressurise allies are completely wrong ...
“I will not yield, Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position.”
Trump has threatened to hit European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from February 1st unless they agree to him taking over Greenland, and he has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island.
– Press Association
Ireland’s EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has said the transatlantic relationship is at a “pivotal” and “dangerous” moment.
Speaking to RTÉ News in Davos, he warned that if the Trump administration pressed ahead with tariffs on countries which oppose his ambitions to seize Greenland, there would be a “robust” response from the European Union.
“We are at a moment of danger in the overall transatlantic relationship,” McGrath said.
“It has been the bedrock of peace and security and stability for the world over many decades.
“Everybody should think long and hard about damaging that relationship because, if that breaks down, and if it is a case that the strongest militarily and politically and economically will always get their way, and can set aside international law, set aside the rules based system, set aside the role of the United Nations, then we’re in a very dark place.”
Trump has now transferred to the helicopter which will bring him to Davos in advance of his speech at the World Economic Forum this afternoon.
Trump’s late arrival has had a knock-on impact on the president’s plans for meetings in Davos.
A planned bilateral meeting today between the US president and German chancellor Friedrich Merz at the World Economic Forum has been cancelled due to the US delegation’s late arrival, a German source told Reuters.
The US presidential plane touched down on the tarmac in Zurich, Switzerland, in the last few minutes.
Trump, who is yet to emerge from the plane, is due to travel to Davos via helicopter.
The US president is running about two hours behind schedule after an issue with Air Force One resulted in him having to swap planes.
British chancellor Rachel Reeves said she “would never rule anything out” about retaliatory tariff measures, following growing concerns over Trump’s threats to raise tariffs over Greenland.
Speaking to the BBC in Davos, Reeves said the UK “would not be buffeted around” and would be acting in the national interest when dealing with the US on trade which means “bringing down trade barriers with countries around the world”.
No meeting between von der Leyen and Trump in Davos
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will not meet Donald Trump in Davos today, a spokesman for the EU body has said.
There had been some speculation the head of the EU executive and Trump might sit down together on the margins of the elite economics summit. Figures close to both leaders had been in contact behind the scenes in recent days, in the run-up to the Davos conference, Jack Power reports.
A commission spokesman said von der Leyen, who made an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg this morning, was travelling back to Brussels to prepare for a summit of EU leaders tomorrow evening, rather than heading to Davos, where she gave a speech yesterday.
Von der Leyen “made the strategic and political assessment that the best use of her energies was to return to Brussels, to focus on preparation for what is a very important European Council meeting”, commission spokesman Olof Gill told a press briefing in Brussels.
“As far as I’m aware, no invitations [for a Davos meeting] were issued in either direction”, he added.
World Cup boycott ‘not the answer’ – SNP minister
Responding “in kind” to Trump’s tariff threats would be a better way forward than boycotting the World Cup, the SNP’s Westminster leader has suggested.
Stephen Flynn said the football tournament seems “somewhat small fry” in the face of the current “extremely serious” global situation with the US president’s threats over Greenland and tariffs.
Some MPs have called for a boycott of the World Cup in response, and Flynn was asked about the idea in an interview on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme on Wednesday.
“There’s maybe a thought process among some that that’s something that Donald Trump’s going to be interested in, but I would simply say to them that when the president’s seeking to impose tariffs upon European nations, including of course Britain itself, the strength of response is more likely to be acknowledged if we respond in kind.
“That’s something which the European Union is, of course, looking at in great detail.
“I think we should be looking to work with our European allies in that context. This is an extremely serious situation, and a World Cup feels somewhat small fry in that context.”
A senior French politician, Eric Coquerel, said the US should be stripped of co-hosting this year’s football World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. However, other officials including French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari shut down the idea.
– Press Association
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that Deutsche Bank’s chief executive had called him to say the bank does not stand by one of its analyst reports suggesting European investors may dump US assets.
“This notion that Europeans would be selling US assets came from a single analyst at Deutsche Bank,” Bessent told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that it had been amplified by “the fake news media”.
“The CEO of Deutsche Bank called to say that Deutsche Bank does not stand by that analyst report,” he said.
Wall Street banks have faced pressure from Trump, who last year hit out at Goldman Sachs and its CEO David Solomon, saying the bank had been wrong to predict US tariffs would hurt the economy. Trump also questioned whether Solomon should lead the Wall Street institution and criticised its research.
George Saravelos, Deutsche’s global head of FX research, in a note on Sunday raised the possibility of European investors selling US assets in response to Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on several European countries over Greenland.
“We generally do not comment on potential communication between the bank and government representatives,” a Deutsche Bank spokesperson said.
“Deutsche Bank Research is independent in their work, therefore views expressed in individual research notes do not necessarily represent the view of the bank’s management.”
Saravelos did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
His Sunday note said European countries own $8 trillion (about €6.8 trillion) of US bonds and equities.
“In an environment where the geoeconomic stability of the western alliance is being disrupted existentially, it is not clear why Europeans would be as willing to play this part,” Saravelos wrote.
– Reuters
In advance of his trip to Davos, Trump used a rambling press briefing at the White House to vent his frustration at the lack of public praise for his accomplishments during his first year in office, Keith Duggan reports.
“On the anniversary of his first year in office, Trump’s apparent determination to own Greenland is eclipsing every other controversy for infamy,” our man in Washington DC writes.
“By lunchtime Tuesday, Trump was back in the presidential garb of navy suit and red tie and in front of the lectern in the Brady briefing room of the West Wing to give the gathered press corps a highly personal and very, very long rundown of all that had been accomplished in year one.
“He was low-energy and off-kilter as he revealed his frustration at the unfairness of the lack of public praise and approval for his year of extraordinary accomplishment.”
Read the full analysis here.
Nato needs US, says Rutte
In Davos, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has been repeatedly asked for his comments on Greenland, but insisted his role required him to keep his views to himself and work with other leaders in private.
“You can be assured that I’m working on this issue behind the scenes,” he added.
Rutte said Nato needs the US, as EU countries only contribute 25 per cent of Nato’s GDP spending, and so the US president remains the leader of the free world and a fundamental part of Nato.
He pushed back on Trump’s suggestions – repeated last night – that he wasn’t sure if European allies would help the US help if needed: “I tell him yes, they will, as they did on the on the 11th of September in 2001, when for the first and only time, the article five was triggered.”
He added that the US and EU “need to each other for our collective protection”.
Rutte said the “main issue” for Nato is not Greenland, it’s Ukraine.
“The risk here is that you focus, of course, on Greenland, because we have to make sure that that issue gets solved in an amicable way. But the main issue is not Greenland. Now, the main issue is Ukraine.”
He said he was “a little worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues”.
– The Guardian
Von der Leyen warns of ‘dangerous downward spiral’
In her speech this morning, Ursula von der Leyen said “the future of Greenland is only for the Greenlanders to decide”.
Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, she warned Europe needs to “transform the ways in which we think and act” to step up to challenges posed by the rapidly changing world order.
“We now live in a world defined by raw power ... In this increasingly lawless world, Europe needs its own levers of power,” she said.
Von der Leyen said Europe must abandon its “traditional caution” to build on its economic might and become more independent.
She also repeated the key lines from her Davos speech yesterday, warning that the US threat of tariffs on EU partners over Greenland could send relations into “a dangerous downward spiral” and “only embolden the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape”.
“Greenland is not just a territory in a key region of the world map, and the land rich in critical raw materials, a strategic outpost on emerging global sea routes. It’s all of these things, but above all, Greenland is home to a free and sovereign people.
“It is a nation with its sovereignty and its right to territorial integrity, and the future of Greenland is only for the Greenlanders to decide.”
– The Guardian
Giving an insight into the thoughts of the Trump administration, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent described Denmark as “irrelevant”.
When asked about Danish investments in the US last night, he said: “Denmark’s investment in US treasury bonds, like Denmark itself, is irrelevant.”
– The Guardian
Mercosur vote takes on greater geopolitical significance
MEPs in the European Parliament are scheduled to vote on whether to refer the EU’s free trade deal struck with the Mercosur bloc of four South American countries to the European Court of Justice, Jack Power reports.
Opponents of the landmark trade deal want the court to rule on the agreement’s compliance with the EU’s treaties.
A referral to the union’s top court could delay a parliament decision to ratify or reject the trade deal by 18 months or two years. MEPs will vote during a parliament sitting in Strasbourg this afternoon, with the margin expected to be pretty close.
The vote has suddenly taken on a new geopolitical significance, given the latest rupture in EU-US relations.
Supporters of the trade agreement view the deal as crucial to Europe reducing its dependence on Washington, by opening up a big new South American market for trade.
For some context: Earlier this month a majority of EU governments backed the deal, meaning it was approved despite opposition from Ireland, France and others. The trade pact still needs to be ratified by a majority of MEPs in the European Parliament, in a vote that was due in April or May. The push to refer the deal to the ECJ would derail that timeline.
However, the European Commission does have the power to let the deal enter into force provisionally, while it waits for parliament’s sign off.
‘EU fully prepared to act’ – von der Leyen
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen might give herself whiplash this week, from all the travel, rather than watching what Donald Trump will do next, Europe Correspondent Jack Power writes.
The German head of the EU’s powerful executive arm delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps yesterday, travelled to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg this morning, and may be on her way back to Davos this afternoon where some face time with Trump could be on the cards, before flying to Brussels for a key summit of EU leaders tomorrow.
In her speech to MEPs today, von der Leyen said Europe was “at a crossroads”. The EU always preferred dialogue, but was “fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination”, should Trump not back down.
Greenland was not just a “territory in a key region” on the world map, but a “home to a free and sovereign people,” the commission president said.
“This moment of global change is fraught with dangers and Europe must be ready to change even faster to become more independent for its own future,” von der Leyen said.
Ireland and EU ‘have to show backbone’ – Andrews
Echoing these sentiments, MEP Barry Andrews said Ireland and the EU “have to show backbone” and it was now time “to stand up” to Trump.
While every effort must be made exhaust diplomatic efforts, Andrews told Newstalk Breakfast there had been a complete change in the approach of the United States to foreign policy, Vivienne Clarke reports.
“There’s no point in having further concessions, further appeasement, further flattery. We just have to show backbone,” Andrews said.
“For a small country like Ireland, the absolute priority is for us to stick with EU solidarity. And we had a debate yesterday in the European Parliament on all of this issue, and the degree to which the European Union has posed together on this issue is really extraordinary. So that gives us strength in numbers, it gives us security.”
The Dublin MEP continued: “Ireland had to show solidarity with Denmark. Our Danish colleague are calling on each of the individual member states to use whatever levers they have to try to influence US politics, including the Congress, including US business, including academia in the US.
“And obviously there are weeks and weeks of contact, of diplomatic contact, between Irish ministers, Irish society generally with the US – and so the Danes want us to do what we do best.”
Bacik calls Trump ‘a bully’
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has said we are living in “extraordinary times” and the European Union must use “every lever at its disposal” to stop any attempts by Trump to take over Greenland.
“The fact that we’re even discussing a threat by the US to a sovereign state in Europe is itself extraordinary,” she said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, the Dublin Bay South TD said: “The first thing the EU has to do is to take a new stance – no more appeasement of Trump, no more flattery, no more capitulating – because we’ve seen that simply doesn’t work. He is a bully.
“We’ve seen in Davos just yesterday, a real strengthening of language of EU leaders like [Emmanuel] Macron, like the Belgian prime minister [Bart De Wever], and indeed, other leaders like Mark Carney of Canada, who now say we must stand up to Trump.”
Bacik said the EU should deploy its “financial armoury”, namely tariffs and the anti-coercion mechanism (which allows Brussels to limit US companies’ access to public procurement contracts), before any potential military moves are made.
“I don’t believe, first of all, that it’s appropriate for allies – and the EU and the US have been long-standing allies – I don’t think it’s appropriate for threats of military force to be made by allies against each other,” she said.
Trump this week vowed to “100 per cent” follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries who oppose his demand to take control of Greenland. He has said he may use military force to take over the country.
Bacik said if Trump continues to threaten Europe it would not be appropriate for the Taoiseach to visit the White House for St Patrick’s Day.
Taoiseach to attend World Economic Forum
The Taoiseach will also arrive in Davos later today.
Micheál Martin said he was “looking forward to attending” the forum.
“It is an opportunity to meet international leaders and business leaders to discuss how we can work together to best address geopolitical and economic challenges.”
The Taoiseach is due to address business leaders at an IDA event.
He will also have a number of meetings with senior business and political leaders on the margins of the forum.
On Thursday, Martin will join EU leaders at an emergency summit in Brussels to formulate a response to Trump’s threats.
Trump is “likely to be three hours late” to Davos, according to US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent, following the problem with Air Force One.
Trump was due to give his special address at the World Economic Forum at 1.30pm Irish time – that time hasn’t changed yet on the official programme.
– The Guardian
Europe must wake up in the face of threats of fresh tariffs by Trump if Europe does not let him take over Greenland, European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Wednesday.
“Europe must stand firm and defend itself, and Europe can also wake up and play its own cards,” Villeroy told France 2 television.
Villeroy said fresh tariffs by the US would weaken economic growth for all parties involved but that their impact on European inflation should be rather muted.
– Reuters
British energy secretary Ed Miliband said prime minister Keir Starmer had shown “calm leadership” in his handling of Trump, as he called for “de-escalation” over Greenland.
Miliband told Sky News Starmer was not travelling to the World Economic Forum in Davos as there were “all kinds of other things that he’s doing”.
He said: “The bigger picture here is that the prime minister is, I think, navigating a really difficult international situation with great skill and in our national interest ...
“I know some people will want to say, why hasn’t the prime minister been matching Donald Trump tweet-for-tweet, all of that. I honestly say to you, we would be in a much worse position as a country.
“He has shown calm leadership, which got us the first trade deal with the US, which got us the lowest tariff.
“Now this is a very challenging situation, and we’ve got a principle, which is we seek common ground with Donald Trump, but where we disagree, we say so, and that’s what he said on Greenland.
“But no, I think Keir Starmer’s leadership is absolutely right on this and I think at this stage, it’s about de-escalation and finding a way through this tricky situation.”
British defence secretary John Healey is in Davos for the forum.
– Press Association
Trump flight delayed
Trump’s arrival in Davos is set to be delayed due to an issue with Air Force One.
The plane was forced to abort its flight to Switzerland early this morning and turn back after what officials described as a “minor electrical issue”.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the decision to return to Washington DC had been taken shortly after departure “out of an abundance of caution”, once the crew detected the fault.
A White House pool reporter travelling with the US president said the lights in the press cabin of Air Force One flickered off briefly after the aircraft became airborne, though no further explanation was provided at the time.
On landing, Trump transferred to a second plane and continued his trip to the World Economic Forum.
According to the White House press pool, the crew on the plane quickly moved boxes of fruit, wrapped sandwiches and beverages to the new plane. Other staffers were seen pulling about a dozen suitcases off the plane and placing them on to a truck.
The plane departed just after midnight local time (5am Irish time), more than two hours after the initial flight took off.
– The Guardian
Trump is due to speak in Davos on Wednesday afternoon, as his bid to seize Greenland threatens to tear the transatlantic Nato alliance apart.
Asked on Tuesday how far he was prepared to go to acquire Greenland from Denmark, a fellow Nato member, Trump replied: “You’ll find out.”
Leaders in the Swiss ski resort have closed ranks against Trump’s aggressive United States First stance, with French president Emmanuel Macron vowing to stand up against “bullies” and the EU promising an “unflinching” response.
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has said the US-led global system of governance is enduring “a rupture,” defined by great power competition and a “fading” rules-based order.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Carney said: “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.”
In an apparent warning against efforts to appease major powers, he said countries like Canada can no longer hope that “compliance will buy safety”.
“It won’t,” he said.
Good morning.
We will be keeping you up to date with all the latest developments before US president Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Trump yesterday doubled down on his threats to take control of Greenland.
His arrival in Davos today is expected to be delayed due to a “minor electrical issue” on Air Force One.
