AI-generated flags, leaked texts and sweeping tariff threats- Donald Trump’s renewed push on Greenland and Gaza is rattling allies and drawing sharp backlash in Europe. As leaders push back, questions grow over how far the US president is willing to go next.
Trump earns ‘gangster’ jibe over moves on Greenland, Gaza
Washington: US President Donald Trump has intensified his confrontational approach to global diplomacy, deploying a mix of artificial intelligence imagery, tariff threats and blunt rhetoric to advance controversial territorial and geopolitical ambitions.
His renewed push to assert control over Greenland and influence policy on Gaza has triggered sharp reactions from allies, with a senior UK leader branding him an “international gangster”.
Trump has reiterated that the United States “requires” Greenland for national and global security, citing strategic competition with China and Russia. Posting on social media after speaking with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump declared there was “no going back” on the issue. His administration has refused to rule out the use of force, even as Denmark firmly rejects any discussion on selling the Arctic island.
One Image, Many Questions: Trump shares map showing Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as US territory
Adding to the controversy, Trump shared AI-generated images online showing himself planting a US flag in Greenland and maps depicting the island under American control. Similar imagery showed Canada covered by the US flag, reviving his remarks about it becoming the “51st state”.
Breaking diplomatic convention, Trump also published a private text message from French President Emmanuel Macron expressing confusion over Washington’s Greenland ambitions. French officials confirmed the message’s authenticity but said it reflected Macron’s public stance.
Trump has openly linked his hardline turn to frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded by a Norwegian committee. In correspondence with Scandinavian leaders, he suggested this was a reason he had abandoned traditional peace-making efforts.
Trade threats have emerged as Trump’s preferred lever. He announced plans to impose import tariffs ranging from 10% to 25% on eight European countries backing Denmark’s position, tying the move to recent European troop deployments in Greenland.
A similar tactic surfaced in the Middle East context. After Macron expressed reluctance to join Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza- citing concerns over undermining the UN-Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French wines and champagne. The draft charter of the proposed body reportedly requires member nations to contribute $1 billion to retain membership beyond three years.
‘No longer obliged to think of peace, Denmark cannot protect Greenland’: Donald Trump
In the UK, criticism has been particularly fierce. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey accused Trump of behaving like a “bully” and warned that the historic US-UK “special relationship” was close to breaking point. He argued that appeasing Trump had failed and said only leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping stood to gain from the turmoil.
As the February tariff deadline nears, the European Union is preparing countermeasures, including potential retaliatory tariffs worth €93 billion and use of its Anti-Coercion Instrument. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has spoken of a shift toward a more “independent Europe”.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has sought to downplay the uproar. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed concerns as overblown, urging allies to “take a deep breath” and insisting transatlantic ties remain strong.
