Why did Trump chicken out on Greenland? – The Latest

为什么特朗普在格陵兰岛问题上退缩了?——最新消息

Today in Focus

2026-01-23

10 分钟
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The US president has backed down from weeks of threats to seize Greenland after threatening Europe with tariffs and the potential of military force. After talks with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, Donald Trump said the ‘framework of a future deal’ had been agreed that would allow the US to build up its military presence in the territory. Trump has also backed down from the tariff threat against eight countries including the UK, Denmark and Germany. Lucy Hough speaks to Europe correspondent Jon Henley – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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  • This is The Guardian.

  • Europe kind of found a bit of backbone.

  • We heard some language of the kind that we haven't really heard from European leaders before.

  • We do prefer respect to bullies and we do prefer rule of law to brutality.

  • The threat of additional tariffs for security reasons is simply wrong.

  • There is a real lingering sense in Europe that something pretty fundamental has been broken.

  • It seems Donald Trump has finally chickened out over Greenland.

  • So can European leaders finally give a sigh of relief?

  • From the Guardians Today in Focus, this is the latest with me, Lucy Hoff.

  • Joining me is John Henley, the Guardian's Europe correspondent.

  • Thanks so much for being with us, John.

  • It's really great to see you.

  • So walk me through what's happened because obviously we've had a couple of weeks of...

  • pretty strident and an aggressive threat from Donald Trump about his ambitions for Greenland,

  • whether to buy it or perhaps even use military force to take it.

  • But he seems like he's been walked back from the brink by European leaders.

  • What's happened?

  • Yes,

  • so Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland yesterday and I think what's fair to say was a very keenly-awaited speech.

  • I mean, it was a long and typically rambling.