A diplomatic rift over Greenland continued to dominate proceedings at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that Washington would not abandon its bid to acquire the Arctic territory, prompting a unified and unusually forceful pushback from European leaders.
Speaking before closed-door sessions, Trump argued that Greenland holds decisive value for global security and insisted there was “no going back” on the U.S. position. The president has previously threatened tariff penalties against several European states should Denmark refuse to engage in negotiations, raising fears of a renewed transatlantic trade confrontation.
French President Emmanuel Macron sharply condemned the U.S. posture as “new imperialism,” insisting that European sovereignty “is not a bargaining chip” and warning that
Europe would not succumb to coercion. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underscored that Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and stated that sovereignty questions are “not negotiable.” Brussels is finalising a package aimed at strengthening Arctic security coordination and economic investment alongside Copenhagen and Nuuk, while also examining retaliatory trade options if U.S. tariffs are imposed.
The controversy has spilled into NATO discussions, with senior alliance officials cautioning that the dispute marks the most serious transatlantic rupture in decades. Analysts note that territorial pressure within the alliance is without precedent and could erode confidence in collective defence mechanisms at a time of heightened global competition.
Denmark and Greenland have reaffirmed that any decision regarding the island’s political future rests exclusively with their governments and the Greenlandic population. Copenhagen has warned that any coercive move against a NATO ally would carry significant consequences for alliance cohesion and European stability.
The Greenland dispute has overshadowed Davos’ core agenda on global economic coordination, climate policy and technological governance, as investors and multinational firms weigh the potential fallout from tariffs and deteriorating U.S.–EU relations. Negotiations and bilateral meetings are expected to continue through the afternoon as European leaders seek to contain escalation and preserve diplomatic channels.
TMN will provide further updates as the Davos summit progresses.