Keir Starmer has said he will not yield to pressure from US President Donald Trump over Greenland, rejecting threats of tariffs and what he described as attempts to strong-arm Britain into softening its
stance on the Arctic territory.
According to a report by The Sun, the Prime Minister believes Trump is deliberately trying to force the UK to back down on its “values and principles”, after the US President escalated his rhetoric against European leaders and warned of economic retaliation unless Washington’s demands were met.
The comments came after an extraordinary 24 hours in which Trump accused Starmer of “great stupidity” over the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, criticised European leaders, and claimed that “total weakness” in London was undermining Western security.
Trump has threatened to impose 10 per cent tariffs on Britain and parts of Europe from February 1 unless they back American control over Greenland, which is owned by Denmark.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer said Trump’s latest remarks marked a clear shift in tone from earlier interactions between the two leaders.
“President Trump deployed words on Chagos yesterday that were different from his previous words of welcome and support when I met him in the White House,” he said.
“He deployed those words for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland. He wants me to yield on my position, and I am not going to do so.”
According to The Sun, this was Starmer’s most openly critical intervention against the US President since taking office, with the Prime Minister also expressing surprise that the opposition had “jumped on the bandwagon” despite what he described as a clear attempt to apply pressure on the UK.
Starmer also condemned the tariff threat as “completely wrong” and confirmed that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will visit Downing Street on Thursday for urgent talks as the diplomatic crisis deepens.
Trump’s intervention has unsettled European capitals. On Tuesday, he attacked French President Emmanuel Macron, threatened 200 per cent tariffs on French wines and champagne, and published private messages from Macron criticising the Greenland stand-off.
He also shared AI-generated images of himself planting an American flag on Greenland and revived earlier claims over Canada by posting a map coloured in US stars and stripes.
The fallout has triggered concern across financial and security institutions. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank was on “high alert”, warning MPs that geopolitical turmoil could send shockwaves through markets.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK would not be “buffeted around” by tariff threats, insisting the government’s economic plan would withstand external pressure. Speaking in Davos, she said there was no reason the UK–US trade deal should be undone.
The row has also raised fears of a wider rupture within NATO. Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart warned that the dispute over Greenland could become the most dangerous moment for Europe since 1945, arguing that any collapse in alliance unity would strengthen Russia’s position in Ukraine.
