Starmer initiates resistance against Trump as president threatens tariffs over Greenland | UK News Sir Keir Starmer has decided to start pushing back against Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose tariffs on the UK and other European countries for supporting NATO allies. While not as defiant as President Macron, who vowed to stand firm against intimidation or threats, Starmer is challenging Trump’s actions. Starmer has invested significant political capital in building a relationship with Trump, despite their differences. The PM’s efforts to strengthen the special relationship, particularly in support of Ukraine, have been seen as successful. However, Trump’s accusations against the UK and European allies of playing a dangerous game in Greenland have strained the relationship. The UK’s decision to send military personnel to Greenland in solidarity with Denmark and NATO has not appeased Trump, who remains fixated on acquiring Greenland. Despite Starmer’s efforts and discussions with European leaders on Arctic security, Trump remains determined to pursue his goal. In an unusual turn of events, Starmer’s political opponents have supported his stance on Greenland and condemned Trump’s actions. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also criticized Trump’s approach as «completely wrong.» Starmer pushes back against Trump as president threatens tariffs over Greenland

Sir Keir Starmer has decided it’s time to start pushing back against Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on the UK and other European countries for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies.

While not going as far as President Macron, who has vowed to stand firm in the face of intimidation or threat, Starmer has invested significant political capital in developing a personal connection with Trump.

However, Trump’s accusations against the UK and other European allies for their activities in Greenland have strained their relationship. The UK’s show of solidarity with Denmark by sending a military officer to Greenland was meant to address Trump’s concerns about the region’s security.

Despite repeated discussions on Arctic security with Trump and other European leaders, Trump remains fixated on taking over Greenland, leading to a divide between Starmer and his political opponents who support his stance against Trump’s actions.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also criticized Trump’s approach as «completely wrong.»

Nigel Farage stated that Reform UK «certainly don’t» align with the US government. Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, known for criticizing the government’s close ties to Donald Trump, urged the Prime Minister to stand firm against the White House bully. Backbenchers, including former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron and Conservative MP Simon Hoare, have also been vocal in their criticism of Trump, with some calling for action and the cancellation of the King’s visit. Tory former army officer Ben Obese-Jecty MP demanded the PM defend British interests and questioned the US’s troop reduction in Greenland. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns MP questioned the effectiveness of Labour’s approach to Trump. The PM and his team face the challenge of standing up to the American president amid threats of a trade war. Emergency visits to Washington and potential influence from leaders like Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni are being considered. The future remains uncertain as Trump has made his stance clear. The path for European leaders is much less so.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, along with Nigel Farage, criticized Trump’s approach as «completely wrong». Liberal Democrat Ed Davey called for the Prime Minister to stand firm against the US President’s bullying tactics. Backbenchers have also been vocal in their criticisms, with some referring to Trump as a «gangster pirate» and calling for the cancellation of the King’s visit.

The debate surrounding Trump’s desire to take over Greenland has sparked strong reactions from politicians across the political spectrum. Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron questioned whether it was worth appeasing the US President, while Conservative backbencher Simon Hoare described Trump as a «gangster pirate» and called for action to be taken.

Tory former army officer Ben Obese-Jecty MP demanded that the Prime Minister defend British interests and questioned the US’s decision to reduce the number of troops stationed in Greenland. The issue of Greenland’s security and its importance to the US has been a point of contention among politicians, with some calling for a stronger stance against Trump’s aggressive tactics.

The prospect of an international trade war with the US has raised concerns about the impact on the British economy. Further tariffs imposed by the US could have detrimental effects on British exports and economic growth. The PM and his team are faced with the challenge of standing up to Trump’s aggressive tactics while also protecting British interests.

The possibility of European leaders making an emergency visit to Washington in support of Greenland has been raised. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who is not currently on Trump’s hit list, may be called upon to use her influence with the US. The question of how to respond to Trump’s demands and maintain NATO solidarity with Greenland remains unanswered.

Despite Trump’s clear position on Greenland, European leaders are still grappling with how to navigate the situation. The road ahead is uncertain, with the possibility of counter tariffs and further negotiations on the table. The debate over Greenland’s future and the implications for international relations continues to unfold. It’s hardly a Love Actually moment of brave UK defiance in the face of a domineering US president – but Sir Keir Starmer has clearly decided it’s time to start pushing back. Donald Trump, he has said, is «completely wrong» to slap tariffs on the UK and other European countries «for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies.» He’s not going as far as President Macron, who has pledged never to change course in the face of «intimidation or threat». But while the PM has previously been clear about the UK’s staunch support for Denmark – he’s always usually very cautious in his dealings with the mercurial president. Starmer has invested huge political capital and personal energy in developing a personal connection with Donald Trump, despite their obvious differences. Indeed, the PM’s efforts at strengthening the so-called special relationship – particularly in the service of Ukraine – have been widely seen as one of the more successful aspects of his bumpy premiership thus far. But that relationship has become decidedly abusive – Trump accuses the UK and other European allies of «playing a very dangerous game» in travelling to Greenland «for purposes unknown». The UK has sent just one single military officer to Greenland to carry out a reconnaissance mission ahead of a future joint exercise in the area, alongside a handful of troops from other countries. While this was clearly done in solidarity with the Danes and Greenlanders, the idea was also precisely to demonstrate that NATO has been listening to the president’s concerns about Greenland. The PM’s statement stressed he has «made [it] clear that Arctic Security matters for the whole of NATO and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia». It’s a topic he has repeatedly discussed in phone calls with Trump and other European leaders over the past few weeks, following the White House’s resurgent interest in Greenland. But it’s clear from the president’s Truth Social post that no amount of NATO positioning – certainly not a handful of soldiers on a training exercise – is going to change his mind. He’s now absolutely fixated on taking over Greenland – commandeering what would be the 51st state of the US. In such extraordinary circumstances, Starmer’s key political opponents have actually come out in support of his position on Greenland – and against Trump. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she agreed with him, also describing Trump’s approach as «completely wrong».

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