There is no turning back / Trump confirms interest in Greenland

2026-01-21 08:43:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Trump threatens to take control of Greenland, internationals oppose.

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his threats to take control of Greenland, writing on social media that “there is no going back” and that “Greenland is essential.” During a White House press conference, Trump was asked how far he was willing to go to take the territory and replied: “You’ll find out for yourself.”

French President Emmanuel Macron warned at the World Economic Forum in Davos of a “shift to a world without rules,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said “the old order is not coming back.” Trump was scheduled to arrive in Davos on Wednesday, but a minor electrical problem on Air Force One forced the plane to turn back and postpone the trip.

Trump has stated that there are “a lot of meetings planned for Greenland” and that “things are going to go very well” there. He also questioned whether NATO would come to the aid of the US in case of need, saying that “We will go to the aid of NATO, but I really wonder if they will come to us.”

Greenland's Minister of Industry and Natural Resources, Naaja Nathanielsen, said the islanders are "astonished" by Trump's demands and that "we do not want to become Americans" and that "our rights to decide our own future are intact."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe is “fully committed” to Arctic security and that the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark is “non-negotiable.” She also criticized Trump’s proposed additional tariffs as a “mistake.”

Trump also threatened a 10% tariff on goods imported from eight European countries if they opposed the Greenland deal, and a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne after Macron refused to participate in a peace initiative on Gaza. Macron and other European officials have condemned the use of tariffs as pressure on territorial sovereignty and are considering counter-tariff measures.

This crisis has strained US-European relations and raised concerns about maintaining international order and protecting the sovereignty of small countries like Greenland./ CNA