Trump doubles down on Greenland threats, saying there is ‘no going back’

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his threats to seize control of Greenland, saying on social media that there is “no going back” and “Greenland is essential”.

At the press conference held at the White House, Trump was asked how far he wanted to go to get Greenland and he replied, “You’ll find out.”

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of “a transition to a world without rules” at the World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said “the old order will not come back”.

Trump will arrive in Davos on Wednesday, where he said “numerous meetings are planned in Greenland.”

During the lengthy press conference, Trump also told reporters that “things are going to go pretty well” in Greenland.

Asked by the BBC whether the possible breakup of the NATO alliance was a price the president was willing to pay for Greenland, the President replied: “No one has done more for NATO than me in every aspect,” adding: “NATO will be happy and we will be happy,” adding: “We need it for world security.”

But that was before It was questioned whether NATO would come to the aid of the USA when necessary.

“I know we will come to (NATO’s) aid, but I really question whether they will come to ours,” he told reporters.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) currently has 32 members, and the United States is one of the 12 founding countries.

One of the fundamental principles of the NATO alliance, designed to protect freedom and security through collective defence, is summarized in Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one or more members shall be considered an attack against all.

Trump did not rule out using military force to seize Greenland; When asked by NBC News yesterday if he would use force to seize the territory, the president said “no comment.”

In an interview on BBC Newsnight on Tuesday evening, Greenlandic Minister of Industry and Natural Resources Naaja Nathanielsen said Greenlanders were “stunned” by the president’s demands.

“We don’t want to be Americans, and we’ve been pretty clear about that,” Nathanielsen said.

“How much do you value our culture and our right to decide what happens to us in the future?”

Tuesday was the first day of the forum in Davos. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue directly in her speech to the participants, emphasizing that Europe is “fully committed” to the security of the Arctic.

But he said this could only be achieved together and called Trump’s proposed additional tariffs a “mistake.”

The US president said he would add a 10 percent tariff on “any goods” imported from eight European countries starting February 1 if they oppose the proposed takeover of Greenland.

Von der Leyen added that the European Union stands in “full solidarity” with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark and that their sovereignty is “indisputable”.

His words were echoed by Canada’s Mark Carney, who said his country’s commitment to NATO’s Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one or more members is an attack against all, is “unwavering”.

“We stand with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine the future of Greenland,” Carney said.

In his speech, Macron said that he preferred “respect for tyrants” and “the rule of law over brutality”.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne after Macron rejected an invitation to join the Gaza “Peace Board”.

The French president condemned the “endless accumulation of new tariffs” as “fundamentally unacceptable”, especially when used as leverage against regional sovereignty.

Macron is among those urging the EU to consider retaliatory options against US tariffs, including an anti-pressure tool nicknamed the “trade bazooka”.

The European Parliament plans to suspend approval of the US trade deal agreed in July, which would mark a new escalation of tensions between the US and Europe, sources close to the international trade committee said.