Starmer criticises Trump for ‘pressure on me and Britain’ over Greenland | Keir Starmer
Donald Trump’s criticism of the Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius is clearly aimed at putting pressure on the UK to weaken its position on the future of Greenland, Keir Starmer has said.
In his most overt criticism of the US president to date, Starmer used the prime minister’s questions to link Trump’s change of tone on a deal he had previously supported with the president’s much-stated intention to annex or buy Greenland.
Questioned by Kemi Badenoch over Trump’s remarks, Starmer accused the Conservative leader of actually supporting an attempt to bring down the UK over Greenland.
“I made my position on Greenland clear on Monday,” Starmer began, referring to the press conference held in Downing Street in which he condemned Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on eight European countries sending troops to Greenland.
“President Trump used words yesterday that differed from his previous words of welcome and support about Chagos,” he continued, saying that the US leader “used those words yesterday with the express purpose of pressuring me and Britain about my values and principles and the future of Greenland.”
“He wants me to give up my position and I will not do that. I am surprised that the opposition leader has jumped on the bandwagon, given that this is his clear aim.”
In a post on the Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump reversed previous US support for a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a plan aimed at securing the future of the major UK-US air base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
“Surprisingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is planning to give Diego Garcia Island, where a vital US Military Base is located, to Mauritius, and do it WITHOUT ANY REASON,” he wrote, amid a series of posts about Greenland.
He continued: “The UK’s donation of hugely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY and a long list of National Security reasons why Greenland should be acquired.”
After Badenoch asked Starmer about Trump’s stance, the prime minister said it was undermining political unity on Greenland.
“I understood his position was that he supported the government’s position on the future of Greenland,” he said. “He now appears to support President Trump’s remarks aimed at undermining the government’s position on the future of Greenland. He has chosen naked opportunism over the national interest.”
After Badenoch argued that was not the case, Starmer reiterated that Trump’s remarks about the Chagos Islands were “clearly aimed at pressuring me to bow to my principles” on Greenland.
He continued: “What he said about Chagos was literally the same sentence as what he said about Greenland. That was his intention, and the future of Greenland is now a dual issue that divides the world with material consequences.”
“I have been clear and consistent in my stance on the future of Greenland. Its future is for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.”
He added: “This is an important national moment and the opposition leader has shown once again that he cannot deliver.”
