The Times reports, external that Donald Trump will “confront” his fellow leaders when he attends the World Economic Forum in Davos after they accused him of unravelling the global order by threatening to seize Greenland. With the headline, “we’ll work something out”, the paper notes the US president’s suggestion that a deal could be reached, but also says he “continued his menacing approach” by replying “you’ll find out” when asked how far he was prepared to go to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
The Guardian says, external European leaders “lined up yesterday” to condemn Trump’s “new colonialism” with the growing row plunging trade relations between the EU and US into “fresh chaos”. According to the Financial Times, external, trust between Washington and European capitals has “vaporised”. The i Paper says, external surveillance units from the RAF and Royal Navy could be deployed in the Arctic, as part of British efforts to reassure the US president that Europe can defend itself and persuade him not to annex Greenland.
Donald Trump’s comments about Sir Keir Starmer and criticism of the UK’s decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands are highlighted by the Daily Telegraph, external. It says the US president told reporters the prime minister must “straighten out” the UK as London has “a lot of problems”, and described the Chagos deal as an “act of stupidity”. Writing in the Daily Express, external, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, claims Trump is “dead right” about what she calls the “surrender” of the islands, arguing it shows Sir Keir is “out of his depth” in the new international order.
Criticism of the government is also featured by the Daily Mail, external after ministers approved plans for a huge new Chinese embassy in central London. The paper says Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of giving up national security in return for a better trading relationship with Beijing after spy chiefs warned of the risks posed by what will be the biggest embassy in Europe. The government says national security is its “first duty” and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any concerns.