It’s hardly a Love Actually moment of brave UK defiance in the face of a domineering US president- but Sir Keir Starmer has clearly decided it’s time to start pushing back.
Donald Trump, he has said, is “completely wrong” to slap tariffs on the UK and other European countries “for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies.”
He’s not going as far as President Macron, who has pledged never to change course in the face of “intimidation or threat”.
But while the PM has previously been clear about the UK’s staunch support for Denmark – he’s always usually very cautious in his dealings with the mercurial president.
Starmer has invested huge political capital and personal energy in developing a personal connection with Donald Trump, despite their obvious differences.
Indeed the PM’s efforts at strengthening the so-called special relationship – particularly in the service of Ukraine – have been widely seen as one of the more successful aspects of his bumpy premiership thus far.
But that relationship has become decidedly abusive – Trump accuses the UK and other European allies of “playing a very dangerous game” in travelling to Greenland “for purposes unknown”.
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The UK has sent just one single military officer to Greenland to carry out a reconnaissance mission ahead of a future joint exercise in the area, alongside a handful of troops from other countries.
While this was clearly done in solidarity with the Danes and Greenlanders, the idea was also precisely to demonstrate that NATO has been listening to the president’s concerns about Greenland. The PM’s statement stressed he has “made [it] clear that Arctic Security matters for the whole of NATO and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia”.
It’s a topic he has repeatedly discussed in phone calls with Trump and other European leaders over the past few weeks, following the White House’s resurgent interest in Greenland.
But it’s clear from the president’s Truth Social post that no amount of NATO positioning – certainly not a handful of soldiers on a training exercise – is going to change his mind. He’s now absolutely fixated on taking over Greenland – commandeering what would be the 51st state of the US.
In such extraordinary circumstances, Sir Keir Starmer’s key political opponents have actually come out in support of his position on Greenland – and against Trump.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she agreed with him, also describing Trump’s approach as “completely wrong”. Nigel Farage said Reform UK “certainly don’t” agree with the US government.
Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, who has a long track record in criticising the government’s cosy relationship with Donald Trump, called for “the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House”.
Read more:
Why does Trump want to take over Greenland?
Poll reveals what Americans think about Greenland scheme
Trump says US will act on Greenland ‘whether they like it or not’
Many backbenchers have been much more gung-ho in their insults and calls for action. Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron asked “if Starmer, Badenoch and Farage *still* think it’s worth shamelessly appeasing this wombat?”
Conservative backbencher Simon Hoare described Trump as a “gangster pirate” and called for the King’s visit to be cancelled.
Tory former army officer Ben Obese-Jecty MP demanded the PM “defend British interests” and questioned why the Americans had reduced the number of their troops based in Greenland from thousands to around 150 if its security is really so important to the US.
In perhaps the most scathing assessment, Conservative MP Alicia Kearns MP asked “what has all Labour’s sycophantic fawning achieved in the national interest?”
That’s surely a raw question in Downing Street this weekend as the PM and his team attempt to strategise their response. How can they really stand up to an American president on the march under the threat of an international trade war? Further tariffs of 10 and 25% – presumably on top of the existing 10% tariff on most baseline goods exported to the US – will hardly help in the mission to drive growth into the tottering British economy.
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Could we see an emergency visit to Washington by the group of leaders, as they did last summer in support of President Zelenskyy? Might Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, not currently on Donald Trump’s hit list, be prevailed upon to use her own influence with the US? Is there any more ring-kissing that can be done? Counter tariffs? Or will they be forced to capitulate – and give up Greenland, and the principle of NATO solidarity with it?
Whatever happens, Donald Trump has made his position abundantly clear. The path for European leaders is much less so.
