The US President condemned the UK for failing to exploit energy resources as he gave a rambling speech at Davos.
Launching a slew of barbs at long-standing Nato allies, Trump branded parts of Europe “unrecognisable”. He swiped that his audience in the Swiss resort would be speaking German “with a bit of Japanese” if America had not won the Second World War.
However, Mr Trump also admitted for the first time that he will not use military force to seize Greenland – in a concession that will come as a huge relief to America’s partners. “You can say yes and we’ll be grateful or you can say no and we will remember,” he said on his push for the strategic island.
The comments came after Keir Starmer launched his most direct attack on Trump yet – accusing him of turning against the Chagos deal as part of his campaign to get Greenland.
At a tense PMQs, Sir Keir said the US President had the “express” intention of forcing the UK to “yield” to his grab for Danish territory.
“He wants me to yield on my position and I’m not going to do so,” Sir Keir said.
Transatlantic relations are heading for new lows amid the high-stakes wrangling between Nato allies, which has seen Mr Trump threaten to slap trade tariffs on those who reject his ambitions.
Sir Keir explicitly linked American anger over the Chagos Islands deal to the row over Greenland.
He told the Commons Trump’s condemnation of the handover to Mauritius was “different from his previous words” – highlighting that the US administration warmly welcomed the agreement last year.
He said Trump – who arrived in Davos this afternoon ready for a showdown with furious European leaders – had “the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland”....<<<Read More>>>...
