When Donald Trump arrived at the Swiss Alps this week, he didn't come to discuss climate change or economic inequality. Instead, the US President has turned the World Economic Forum into an unlikely geopolitical theatre, using his social media feeds as a bludgeon to pressure Europe into ceding Greenland—a vast Arctic territory that belongs to Denmark. The boldness of his demand would be laughable if the consequences weren't so serious: tariffs on allies, fractured diplomacy, and a stark reminder that traditional international norms no longer apply under his watch.
Trump has been unambiguous about his intentions. 'Greenland is imperative for national and world security,' he declared, adding with characteristic finality: 'There is no going back.' Speaking to reporters before descending on Davos, he promised to tell European leaders bluntly that 'we have to have' Greenland. These aren't negotiating tactics dressed up in diplomatic language—they're ultimatums wrapped in the patina of national necessity.
The temperature in the room rose considerably on Saturday when Trump threatened eight European allies, including the UK and Denmark itself, with 10% tariffs if they refuse to hand over the territory. For context, that's not a gentle suggestion; it's a financial hammer blow to economies already reeling from uncertainty. Europe, meanwhile, has watched this theatrical performance with a mixture of exasperation and cold calculation.
Trump's Social Media Offensive: When Diplomacy Goes Digital
Rather than rely on quiet back-channel conversations, Trump has chosen to wage his Greenland campaign through screenshots of private messages and AI-generated images of himself planting the American flag on Arctic ice. It's vintage Trump: brazen, unfiltered, and designed to dominate the news cycle whilst simultaneously humiliating European leaders. He posted what appeared to be a message from French President Emmanuel Macron asking for a meeting, with Macron saying, 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.' Another purported message from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed he was 'committed to finding a way forward.'
Whether these messages are genuine or edited for maximum impact hardly matters. The strategy is transparent: create doubt, splinter the European alliance, and signal to the world that American power supersedes Danish sovereignty.
Yet this approach has revealed fissures within Trump's own messaging apparatus. Gary Cohn, the former economics adviser in Trump's first administration, suggested the tariff threats might be a negotiating tactic. But Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's erstwhile communications director, disagreed sharply during an interview at Davos. 'I don't think this is a negotiating tactic,' Scaramucci told reporters in the corridors of the WEF. 'I think it's attention seeking. I think it's going to resolve itself.' He added a pointed observation: 'The Europeans are going to have to put some teeth into their rebuttals to President Trump. He's sending out messages in an effort to humiliate people like Rutte and Macron.'
Europe's Unified—But Fragile—Response
If Trump expected Europe to crumble, he's been disappointed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has staked out an unapologetic position: Greenland's sovereignty is 'non-negotiable.' She called Trump's tariff threats 'a mistake, especially between long-standing allies,' and pledged that Europe's response will be 'unflinching, united and proportional.' The language sounds resolute, but beneath the surface lies genuine anxiety about a trade war that could devastate European economies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, keen to pour oil on troubled waters, urged European nations to 'relax' and 'let things play out.' It was a tone-deaf plea that only reinforced the perception that the Trump administration views this crisis as an entertainment, not a catastrophe. Meanwhile, markets have reacted with visible alarm. European stock indices fell by 1.2–1.5% on Tuesday. Gold, that traditional refuge during uncertainty, has climbed to a fresh record of $4,731.34 per ounce. US stock futures are positioned to fall by 1.5–2% when trading resumes. The dollar has weakened against both sterling and the euro.
Russia, notably, has denied involvement in any scheme to seize Greenland, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisting there is 'no proof' of such plans. Even this denial seemed to undermine one of Trump's central justifications for the acquisition.
The backdrop to all this chaos is a Davos forum bracing itself for what promises to be one of its most contentious weeks in years. British Chancellor Rachel Reeves, arriving a day after Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the tariff threat 'very serious,' faces a difficult balancing act: maintaining the special relationship whilst preparing defensive economic measures. French President Macron is scheduled to speak, as is NATO's new secretary general. The subtext is unmistakable: Europe must decide whether to capitulate or stand firm.
For now, European leaders are attempting to project unity. But unity, historically, is fragile when national interests diverge and economic pain begins to bite.
