Trump Backs Down Over Tariffs and Greenland.

Trump caused panic, worry, anger, and frustration when he threatened his European partners with tariffs because they would not support him in his plan to take over Greenland. Trump wanted to buy Greenland from Denmark, or he would use force, or so it seemed to take it. Trump threatened his opponents with 10% tariffs if they did not acquiesce to his Greenland adventure, or should that be misadventure? These were to start from 1 February and would rise to 25% if those nations that opposed him did not give in.

British Prime Ministers, not Winston Churchill, have been seen as American Presidents' poodles. Take Tony Blair and George W. Bush. It was said that, as Blair joined Bush in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Blair was grabbing onto Bush's coattails as they both rushed headlong into Iraq. Whether that was the case or not is open to question. Either way, Iraq and what happened after will haunt both men to their dying day.

Similarly, opponents have accused Sir Keir Starmer of being a poodle to Trump. Trump says, "Jump," and Starmer replies, "How high"? It's easy to see why people would say that; however, the other day in parliament, it seemed Trump had pushed Starmer too far. Both at a news conference and in parliament, Starmer attacked Trump's tariff as "Wrong". He said the US and the UK will always be friends; however, Starmer said you do not punish friends with threats like tariffs. Starmer has refused to buckle under Trump's tariff threat because he will not support the US president over Greenland.

In Davos, in Switzerland, where the great and the good (great and good?) meet regularly to discuss all manner of subjects, Trump met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The meeting, by all accounts, reached an agreement or at least some meeting of minds. Trump later did a press conference at Davos, where he ruled out tariffs. The whole room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and Trump noted it. In fact, he seemed quite jovial about it. Trump said he would not use force to capture Greenland. But he articulated that he wanted negotiations "Right away".

Sir Keir has welcomed Trump's apparent climbdown. Sir Keir said now all parties could move forward in talks about "Arctic security". Hopefully, NATO can now talk and find a way through Trump's shenanigans. Did Trump back down because of Mark Rutte? Did Trump back down because Sir Keir Starmer pushed back? Did Trump climb down because the EU's Ursula Von Der Leyen threatened the US with counter-tariffs? Was it Emmanuel Macron saying Europe or NATO needed to stand up to Trump? Was it Europe, including Denmark, Britain, Germany, Finland, etc, sending troops to Greenland? Whatever it was, Trump has backed down at least for now and parked his dreams of Greenland.

The Arctic is a flash point between the world powers. Whether the US owning Greenland would help is another thing. Greenland seems to be perfectly fine being a territory of Denmark. The island has semi-independence. The majority of the folk there are similar to Native Americans or Inuit. There is a Prime Minister and a government. Many Greenlanders would like to be independent. Some want to stay with Denmark, while others might very well want to be Americans. As Sir Keir Starmer says, what happens to Greenland is a matter for Greenlanders and, to some extent, Denmark. Trump said the US needed to acquire Greenland for the betterment of Greenlanders, for the security of the US and Europe, but there is a caveat. As the Greenland snow and ice melt due to global warming, precious minerals lie under the soil. So, the businessman in Trump would certainly have this in mind as he pursued/pursues his Greenland dreams.

So are the threats of tariffs and Trump invading gone? Well, one would hope so. But with a man like Trump, the only certainty is the uncertainty.