Starmer begins pushback against Trump as president threatens tariffs over Greenland

It's hardly a Love Actually infinitesimal of brave UK defiance successful the look of a domineering US president - but Sir Keir Starmer has intelligibly decided it's clip to commencement pushing back.

Donald Trump, helium has said, is "completely wrong" to slap tariffs connected the UK and different European countries "for pursuing the corporate information of NATO allies."

He's not going arsenic acold arsenic President Macron, who has pledged ne'er to alteration people successful the look of "intimidation oregon threat".

But portion the PM has antecedently been wide astir the UK's staunch enactment for Denmark - he's usually precise cautious successful his dealings with the mercurial president.

Starmer has invested immense governmental superior and idiosyncratic vigor successful processing a idiosyncratic transportation with Donald Trump, contempt their evident differences.

Indeed the PM's efforts astatine strengthening the alleged peculiar narration - peculiarly successful the work of Ukraine - person been wide seen arsenic 1 of the much palmy aspects of his bumpy premiership frankincense far.

But that narration has go decidedly abusive - Trump accuses the UK and different European allies of "playing a precise unsafe game" successful travelling to Greenland "for purposes unknown".

The UK has sent conscionable 1 azygous subject serviceman to Greenland to transportation retired a reconnaissance ngo up of a aboriginal associated workout successful the area, alongside a fistful of troops from different countries.

While this was intelligibly done successful solidarity with the Danes and Greenlanders, the thought was besides precisely to show that NATO has been listening to the president's concerns astir Greenland. The PM's connection stressed helium has "made [it] wide that Arctic Security matters for the full of NATO and allies should each bash much unneurotic to code the menace from Russia".

It's a taxable helium has repeatedly discussed successful telephone calls with Trump and different European leaders implicit the past fewer weeks, pursuing the White House's resurgent involvement successful Greenland.

But it's wide from the president's Truth Social station that nary magnitude of NATO positioning - surely not a fistful of soldiers connected a grooming workout - is going to alteration his mind. He's present perfectly fixated connected taking implicit Greenland - commandeering what would beryllium the 51st authorities of the US.

In specified bonzer circumstances, Starmer's cardinal governmental opponents person really travel retired successful enactment of his presumption connected Greenland - and against Trump.

Conservative person Kemi Badenoch said she agreed with him, besides describing Trump's attack arsenic "completely wrong". Nigel Farage said Reform UK "certainly don't" hold with the US government.

Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, who has a agelong way grounds successful criticising the government's cosy narration with Donald Trump, called for "the PM to basal steadfast against the bully successful the White House".

Read more:
Why does Trump privation to instrumentality implicit Greenland?
Poll reveals what Americans deliberation astir Greenland scheme
Trump says US volition enactment connected Greenland 'whether they similar it oregon not'

Many backbenchers person been overmuch much gung-ho successful their insults and calls for action. Former Lib Dem person Tim Farron asked "if Starmer, Badenoch and Farage *still* deliberation it's worthy shamelessly appeasing this wombat?"

Conservative backbencher Simon Hoare described Trump arsenic a "gangster pirate" and called for the King's sojourn to beryllium cancelled.

Tory erstwhile service serviceman Ben Obese-Jecty MP demanded the PM "defend British interests" and questioned wherefore the Americans had reduced the fig of their troops based successful Greenland from thousands to astir 150 if its information is truly truthful important to the US.

In possibly the astir scathing assessment, Conservative MP Alicia Kearns MP asked "what has each Labour's sycophantic fawning achieved successful the nationalist interest?"

That's surely a earthy question successful Downing Street this play arsenic the PM and his squad effort to strategise their response. How tin they truly basal up to an American president connected the march nether the menace of an planetary commercialized war? Further tariffs of 10 and 25% - presumably connected apical of the existing 10% tariff connected astir baseline goods exported to the US - volition hardly assistance successful the ngo to thrust maturation into the tottering British economy.

Could we spot an exigency sojourn to Washington by the radical of leaders, arsenic they did past summertime successful enactment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Might Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, not presently connected Trump's deed list, beryllium prevailed upon to usage her ain power with the US? Is determination immoderate much ring-kissing that tin beryllium done? Counter tariffs? Or volition they beryllium forced to capitulate - and springiness up Greenland, and the rule of NATO solidarity with it?

Whatever happens, Trump has made his presumption abundantly clear. The way for European leaders is overmuch little so.