U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday urged Europe to “sit back” and avoid retaliation as tensions escalated over President Donald Trump’s ambition to take control of Greenland, a move almost unanimously rejected by Europe. The Davos exchange comes against the backdrop of a sharp public spat between Washington and Europe over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. We are in dialogue with allies in Europe and other places 24/7. Trump has argued that the US has been “subsidising” Europe for centuries and that Denmark must “give back” in the interest of world peace. Eight European nations have issued a joint statement expressing full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.

Source: The Telegraph January 20, 2026 18:59 UTC