Foreign secretary David Lammy has suggested that the “intensity” of Donald Trump’s rhetoric can be “destabilising”, amid the president-elect’s threats to acquire Greenland for the United States.
In a Mar-a-Lago press conference earlier this week, the incoming president refused to rule out using military force or economic action to acquire the overseas Danish territory once he takes office.
Responding to Trump’s comments, the foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think that we know from Donald Trump’s first term that the intensity of his rhetoric and the unpredictability sometimes of what he said can be destabilising.”
“He did it with Nato. But in fact, in practice, he sent more troops to Europe under his administration. He sent the first javelins and weapons to Ukraine under his administration.
“Here, I suspect on Greenland what he’s targeting is his concerns about Russia and China in the Arctic, is his concerns about national economic security.
“He recognises I’m sure that in the end Greenland today is a kingdom of Denmark. There is a debate in Greenland about their own self-determination. But behind it I think are his concerns about the Arctic.”
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However, when asked about the prospect of the US actually acquiring Greenland, Lammy hit back: “It’s not going to happen.”
Speaking to Sky News earlier on Thursday morning, Lammy also refused to rebuke Trump for suggesting he could use military force to seize Greenland or the Panama Canal.
Such remarks are “classic Donald Trump”, the foreign secretary said.
He added: “I think that what sits behind Donald Trump is he’s just won an election…”
“77 million people voted for him up in nearly all classifications, including, by the way, African Americans and Latinos. He came in very clearly, saying he was going to work for working people, and he sees Americans, national economic security as centring that.
“That is why he’s raising issues in relation to the Panama Canal and, I suspect, to Greenland. He always amplifies that and does it at its… strongest intensity. But sitting behind that are actually quite serious national security and economic issues.”
Lammy also refused to condemn Trump’s comments, despite his counterparts in both France and Germany doing so.
The foreign secretary said: “I suspect the difference in Germany is that they’re fighting an election.”
“We’re not in an election season. Here, we fought an election. What sits behind those comments are issues of national security.”
Asked to comment on Trump’s indication that he could use military force, Lammy responded: “Well, that’s the amplification of the intensity of the rhetoric. But let’s be clear, no NATO countries have gone to war since the establishment of NATO, and I don’t envisage that.
“I’m not in the business of condemning our closest ally. I am in the business of interpreting what sits behind this, and there are some very serious national economic security issues. That’s the basis on which Donald Trump has won his election.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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