Starmer risks Trump's wrath with 6-word reaction to Greenland takeover plan

Donald Trump has once again revived his long-standing belief that the United States should acquire Greenland, reigniting international concern and diplomatic pushback.

Downing Street confirmed that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised the issue directly with Donald Trump during a phone call on Wednesday evening. While No.10 declined to spell out exactly what Sir Keir said or how the US president responded, the timing of the call was striking. It came just a day after the White House refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the Danish territory.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has repeatedly been framed by Trump as strategically vital to US national security. That argument was reinforced again this week when senior US officials declined to give firm assurances that military action was off the table. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland was nothing new, noting that the president raised the idea early in his first term and that previous US administrations had also explored similar questions.

However, Rubio’s comments raised eyebrows when he added that any US president reserves the right to respond militarily if they perceive a threat to national security. For European allies, that language crossed an uncomfortable line.

Sir Keir has been clear and consistent in his public position. Speaking in the Commons earlier on Wednesday, he stressed that Greenland’s future must be decided by Greenland and Denmark alone. At the same time, he has been careful not to allow the issue to escalate into a broader rupture between London and Washington.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir reiterated: “The future of Greenland is for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.” He also pushed back against suggestions that the UK should be forced to choose sides between Europe and the United States.

That point came up after Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey asked whether Sir Keir agreed with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s warning that any US military action against a NATO ally would effectively end the transatlantic alliance. While Sir Keir underlined the central importance of NATO, he rejected what he described as a false choice between Europe and the US, calling such a divide a strategic mistake for Britain.

Elsewhere, senior figures in the UK government have been emphasising the value of the UK-US relationship. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy used a visit linked to the 250th anniversary of American independence to highlight long-standing ties, and he is expected to meet US Vice President JD Vance for talks on Thursday.

The UK has also joined five other European countries in publicly backing Denmark and Greenland. In a joint statement issued earlier this week, the six nations said Greenland “belongs to its people,” a clear signal of solidarity amid growing unease over Washington’s rhetoric.

Beyond Greenland, Wednesday’s phone call between Sir Keir and Trump covered a packed international agenda. The two leaders discussed the seizure of the oil tanker Marinera, ongoing negotiations over Ukraine, and recent US military action in Venezuela.

Notably, this was their first conversation since US special forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and transported him to New York over the weekend a move that has already sent shockwaves through global diplomacy.

Taken together, the developments underline how quickly Trump’s foreign policy instincts are reshaping alliances and testing long-standing norms, leaving allies scrambling to contain the fallout while defending principles of sovereignty and international law.