In a social media post on Truth Social this morning at 6:38 AM UK time, former US President Donald Trump criticized the UK’s decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it an “act of great stupidity” and using it as a basis for asserting the need for the US to acquire Greenland.
Today, Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet with ministers at his regular Cabinet session following his call for restraint in response to Trump’s threats of a potential trade conflict over Greenland. Trump expressed his unwavering commitment on Monday to imposing tariffs on the UK and European allies who oppose his Greenland acquisition plan. The European Union plans to convene an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address Trump’s recent ultimatum.
In his social media post, Trump criticized the UK for planning to transfer the island of Diego Garcia, which hosts a crucial US military base, to Mauritius without any valid reason. He emphasized that powerful nations like China and Russia interpret such actions as signs of weakness and stressed the importance of the US acquiring Greenland for national security reasons.
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814, when they were ceded by France along with Mauritius. Last year, the UK reached an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining control of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. Trump’s administration previously supported this agreement, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio praising it as a significant achievement.
Amidst reaffirmed support from European allies for Greenland’s autonomy, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that decisions regarding the future of the semi-autonomous Danish territory should be made by Greenlanders and Danes alone. Denmark, which recently deployed troops to Greenland, warned that any US takeover of the territory would spell the end of NATO.
Trump threatened to impose a 10% tariff on all goods exported from the UK to the US starting February 1, escalating to 25% by June 1, until a deal is reached for the US to purchase Greenland from Denmark. He indicated that the same tariffs would apply to other NATO members, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.
When questioned about the likelihood of imposing these tariffs, Trump confirmed his intent, stating he would do so without hesitation. Regarding the possibility of using force to acquire Greenland, he declined to comment but urged Europe to focus on handling conflicts with Russia and Ukraine rather than Greenland.
Starmer’s spokesperson conveyed that the UK Prime Minister cautioned Trump against imposing tariffs on allies who support NATO’s collective security efforts. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed a desire to avoid escalation in the dispute, highlighting the importance of resolving the issue collaboratively while noting the possibility of retaliatory measures if necessary.
Both Merz and Starmer are open to dialogue with Trump, with Merz aiming to meet the former US President during his visit to Davos.