I will not yield to Trump’s pressure on Greenland, says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer said he “will not bow” to pressure from Donald Trump over the future of Greenland after the US president attacked Britain’s Chagos Islands deal.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said he criticized the Chagos agreement after the US president had previously said he supported it “to put pressure on me and Britain on my values and principles for the future of Greenland”.
Trump on Tuesday called Britain’s deal to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base “an act of great stupidity.”
He threatened to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed his claim to take control of Greenland.
“The future of Greenland is only for the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark,” Sir Keir told MPs and said he would host the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, in Downing Street on Thursday.
“President Trump used different words about Chagos yesterday than the previous words of welcome and support he said when I met him at the White House,” he said.
“Yesterday he used these words to pressure me and Britain about my values and principles for the future of Greenland.”
The Prime Minister added: “He wants me to give up my position and I won’t do that.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said he supported the Prime Minister’s stance on Greenland but agreed with Trump on the “stupidity” of the Chagos Islands deal.
“We didn’t need President Trump to tell us that, we’ve been saying that for 12 months,” he told Sir Keir.
He called on the Prime Minister to “scrap this terrible deal and put the money into our armed forces”.
Later in the session, Labor MP Steve Witherden called on Sir Keir to “close ranks with our European allies and impose retaliatory tariffs against the US over Greenland”.
“The thug in the White House has shown that he does not listen to meanness and flattery,” he said.
“No matter how harmonious we are, he will continue to undermine British interests and, like all tyrants, he will always find the weakest link.”
Downing Street refused to say the US no longer supported the UK’s Chagos Islands deal, telling reporters “Our Five Eyes allies support it”, referring to the intelligence-sharing alliance between the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.
Britain signed the £3.4 billion ($4.6 billion) deal in May under which it will retain control of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.
Ministers say the deal is necessary to provide a solid legal basis for the operation of the strategically important Diego Garcia facility.
But the legislation to finalize this is currently in contention between the Lords and Commons.
On Tuesday, Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: “Astonishingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give Diego Garcia Island, where a vital US military base is located, to Mauritius, and is doing so WITHOUT ANY REASON.”
“There is no doubt that China and Russia recognized this act of complete weakness.”
He emphasized that the decision was one reason why Denmark continues to pursue Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.
“The UK donating hugely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY and is yet another reason in the very long list of national security reasons why Greenland should be acquired.”
Trump arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he will address world leaders.
At a press conference before his arrival, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Britain had “let us down” over the Chagos deal.
“President Trump has made clear that we will not cede our national security or our hemispheric security to any other country.
“Our partner, England, is disappointing us with the Diego Garcia base that we have shared for many years, and they want to transfer it to Mauritius.”
