Donald Trump has published private messages from European leaders after threatening to impose new tariffs on several European Union countries over his demand to purchase Greenland.
In one, Emmanuel Macron pleaded with the United States President to scale back his threats against the Danish territory and offered him a dinner in Paris.
In another, Mark Rutte, the Nato Secretary-General, said he wanted to find a “way forward on Greenland” while offering to highlight Trump’s other achievements at the Davos World Economic Forum this week.
Screenshots of the texts were shared by Trump on Truth Social, along with a string of inflammatory posts, including AI posts depicting Greenland as US territory.
“Note from President Emmanuel Macron, of France,” Trump wrote with the message from the French head of state.
In it, Macron said that while he was in line with Trump on Syria and Iran, “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland”.
He proposed setting up a G7 meeting (on Friday NZT), in the wake of the Davos World Economic Forum, in which he could invite “the Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians in the margins”.
“Let us have a dinner together in Paris together on Thursday before you go back to the US,” the message went on.
The Elysee confirmed that Macron had sent a message.
Trump has pledged to impose tariffs of 10% on goods from Britain and seven EU countries unless control of Greenland is handed to the US. Yesterday, he refused to rule out military action to take the Arctic territory.
Later, he also posted another screenshot of a text message and said it was from Rutte.
It read: “Mr President, dear Donald, what you have achieved today in Syria is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can’t wait to meet you. Yours, Mark.”
Before releasing the message, Trump stated that he had “a very good phone conversation” with Rutte on Greenland and agreed to meet “various parties” in Davos, where the WEF is taking place.
“As I have made very clear to everyone, Greenland is extremely important for national and global security,” he wrote in a Truth Social post. “There will be no turning back.”
Trump went on to say that the US was the “most powerful country” in the world “by far”.
“This is largely due to the rebuilding of our armed forces during my first term, which continues at an accelerated pace,” he added.
He also posted an AI-generated image showing himself, JD Vance, the Vice-President, and Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, planting an American flag in the snow with a sign reading: “Greenland, US territory, established 2026”.
Another AI-generated image showed Trump in the Oval Office surrounded by European leaders, with a map of North America, with the US, Canada and Greenland coloured in the American flag.
In another post directed at the United Kingdom, the US President attacked Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the deal an “act of stupidity”.
Trump also cited the agreement as a reason why America should take control of Greenland – a demand that has already harmed relations between the UK and the US.
EU leaders are set to gather in Brussels for an emergency summit on Friday morning NZT after Trump’s tariffs threat.
The US President said he did not think European leaders would offer much resistance to his attempt to buy the vast Arctic island, telling reporters in Florida: “I don’t think they’re gonna push back too much. We have to have it. They have to have this done.”
European officials, led by France, have called for the EU to hit back with tariffs of its own on US goods, and have floated using a mechanism dubbed a “trade bazooka” to target US companies.
This tool – known as the “anti-coercion instrument” – allows the EU to impose punishing measures on countries deemed to have sought to use tariffs to influence its policies.
French government figures have been most vocal in their support for action, but other European leaders appear to be increasingly siding with the UK, including Germany.
Starmer has urged Europe not to hit back with its own tariffs against the US after Treasury analysis showed that triggering a trade war would damage Britain’s economy, it is understood.
Starmer said Trump’s desire to take over Greenland was “wrong”, adding: “Alliances endure because they are built on respect and partnership, not pressure”.
Trump’s move to post private messages came out just an hour after he lashed out at Macron for declining his invitation to join his administration’s “board of peace”.
Analysts have likened the board aimed at resolving international conflicts to a pay-to-play version of the UN Security Council.
It was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of war-torn Gaza, but the charter does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory.
Macron declined the invitation yesterday, with an Elysee source claiming that its charter “goes beyond the framework of Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question”.
Asked by a reporter for his response, Trump replied, “Oh, did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he’s gonna be out of office very soon.
“That’s all right. What I’ll do is if they feel like hostile, I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he’ll join. But he doesn’t have to join.”
France today slammed the threat of new tariffs as “unacceptable” and “ineffective”.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union chief, and Macron will address the Davos forum today.
The US President will deliver a speech tomorrow and participate in other events on Friday.
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