Ties with Europe on the rocks, but Trump wants 'a big piece of ice'

In a speech to the World Economic Forum on Wednesday after days of elevated trans-Atlantic tensions , Trump said he was seeking “immediate negotiations” on acquiring the island — which is sovereign Danish territory — for national security reasons.He cast the request as a “small ask” compared to the defence shield the US has offered NATO countries for decades. The crux of the argument was that Greenland is critical to the deployment of his “Golden Dome” missile defence system.But while Trump seemingly ruled out use of military force, he told Europe, “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.” He derided Europe’s liberal democracies, policies and NATO’s effectiveness.Trump also singled out leaders including Canada’s Mark Carney and Emmanuel Macron of France for criticism. He chastised the Europeans on issues ranging from wind power and the environment, to immigration and geopolitics, while casting himself as a defender of Western values.The US President argued at every turn that the US is booming and its economy is strong, in sharp contrast to Europe.

Author: Agencies

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