‘He’s a T-rex’: Global leaders react to Trump’s Greenland threats – watch
Warnings of a return to colonial-era power politics – and unusually blunt language – dominated discussions at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday as global leaders reacted to US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to seize Greenland and impose related trade tariffs, according to the AP. The annual gathering comes amid heightened tensions over global trade and security, with Trump’s stance on Greenland unsettling European allies and middle powers alike. While the US president is not scheduled to address the forum until Wednesday, his policies loomed large over debates in Davos.
French president Emmanuel Macron cautioned against what he described as a dangerous shift in global order. Warning of “a new colonial approach,” Macron said such moves risked undermining decades of international cooperation. “It’s a shift towards a world without rules. Where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest, and imperial ambitions are resurfacing,” he said. Macron also criticised US trade practices, denouncing “competition from the United States of America, through trade agreements that undermine our export interests… combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable.” The strongest language, however, came from California governor Gavin Newsom, who addressed European leaders in the forum’s entrance hall. “I can’t take this complicity. People rolling over. I should’ve brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders,” Newsom said. “I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage… from an American perspective, it’s embarrassing.” Referring directly to Trump, Newsom added, “Diplomacy with Donald Trump? He’s a T-Rex. You mate with him or he devours you. One or the other… Wake up! Where the hell has everybody been? Stop with this (expletive) diplomacy sort of niceties… Have some spine, some goddamn (expletive).”Canadian prime minister Mark Carney urged countries outside the top tier of global power to deepen cooperation rather than compete for favour.“Great powers can afford for now to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity, and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not,” he said. “In a world of great power rivalry… if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”Carney also rejected US ambitions in the Arctic, saying, “We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future.”With Trump absent, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent sought to calm tensions, playing down the rift with Europe. “I think our relations have never been closer,” Bessent said. “Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath.”He added that while disagreements existed over Greenland, “Europe is an ally, the US-NATO membership is unquestioned.”Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever warned that Trump’s rhetoric had crossed multiple red lines in Europe. “Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else,” he said, cautioning that backing down now would mean “you’re going to lose your dignity.”European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said escalating trade disputes risked weakening the West. “The proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies,” she said, adding: “In politics, as in business, a deal is a deal.”If US policy shifts proved permanent, she said, “then Europe must change permanently too,” calling for a more independent Europe while stressing that a diplomatic “downward spiral” would only embolden adversaries.The renewed push for Greenland by Trump and approach to trade, and alliances has created a growing unease among US allies as once again tests the post-war transatlantic order. (With inputs from agency)
