Hi, Paul Colgan here and welcome to our Monday edition of Inside Politics. We\u2019ll be sending out this briefing to everyone who has signed up to the newsletter every week the D\u00e1il is sitting.<\/p>\n
Greenland row poses problems for Emerald Isle<\/p>\n
There is just no getting away from the US president. Donald Trump<\/a> just doesn\u2019t take a day off. <\/p>\n As the third full week of the year begins, he again looks set to cast a long shadow over politics both foreign and domestic.<\/p>\n His declaration on Saturday<\/a> of fresh tariffs on Denmark and the seven Nato countries that are lending military support to their Danish allies in Greenland risks bringing US-EU relations to an unprecedented low \u2013 if not a fundamental fracture.<\/p>\n The countries in question \u2013 Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden \u2013 have warned of a dangerous \u201cdownward spiral\u201d as a result of this renewed US economic aggression \u2013 and that they will \u201cstand together\u201d against it. <\/p>\n So will it be \u201cBoston or Berlin\u201d for Ireland?<\/p>\n According to Taoiseach Mich\u00e9al Martin<\/a>, perhaps unsurprisingly, it remains both. For the time being, at least.<\/p>\n With several European leaders seemingly resigned to putting the transatlantic trade deal that was agreed last summer on ice, the message from Martin has essentially been \u201csteady on lads, not so hasty\u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking on RT\u00c9\u2019s This Week programme yesterday he called Trump\u2019s threats \u201cunacceptable\u201d but warned against any \u201cknee-jerk\u201d actions that could blow apart the \u201cTurnberry\u201d trade deal agreed in Scotland.<\/p>\n Such reaction may include deployment of the EU\u2019s so-called \u201ctrade bazooka\u201d \u2013 the anti-coercion instrument (ACI). <\/p>\n The French are reportedly looking to lock and load that particular piece of hardware \u2013 the firing of which would limit US access to European markets, make American tech bros very unhappy and put Ireland in a rather tricky spot<\/a> altogether.<\/p>\n Fianna F\u00e1il MEP Barry Andrews, however, has had enough with the \u201cappeasement\u201d of Trump and is calling for Europe to take the shot. <\/p>\n As of last night, calm seems to be prevailing in Brussels. <\/p>\n Following a hastily arranged meeting of EU ambassadors it appears<\/a> there is no immediate plan to break open the trade armoury. The ACI \u2013 and \u20ac93 billion of retaliatory tariffs \u2013 remain in reserve for now.<\/p>\n Getting quick agreement on the best way to put some manners on the US president will be no easy task. With lots of talk about Neville Chamberlain tribute acts, just how hard it will be to sell the Irish message of \u201ccareful now\u201d remains to be seen.<\/p>\n T\u00e1naiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris<\/a> will presumably convey that position to his European counterparts today when they meet in Brussels. <\/p>\n An emergency meeting of the 27 EU leaders is scheduled for Thursday \u2013 and that\u2019s where the internal European horse-trading<\/a> will really get going. <\/p>\n In the interim, the Taoiseach is off to Davos, Switzerland, for the annual World Economic Forum. <\/p>\n Traditionally billed as a get-together for champions of free trade and globalisation, the picturesque ski resort will presumably be infused with an awful case of the jitters this week. Trump is due to address attendees on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Amid this carry-on, the opposition has not taken its eye off the EU-Mercosur<\/a> deal.<\/p>\n Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald<\/a> says Trump\u2019s antics cannot be used as cover by the Government to sign off on what is a \u201cvery, very bad deal\u201d for Ireland and the rest of the world. <\/p>\n Ireland\u2019s EU commissioner Michael McGrath<\/a> says fears that it will devastate the Irish beef industry are \u201cunfounded<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n It all feels strikingly familiar to last January.<\/p>\n This time last year, the Irish diplomatic and press corps were fretting over the prospect that Ireland might be denied its traditional Oval Office moment come St Patrick\u2019s week \u2013 due to its opposition to the slaughter in Gaza.<\/p>\n Depending on how the coming weeks unfold, some people in Government Buildings and Iveagh House might now secretly welcome such a development. If nothing else, that particular meeting could prove even more awkward than the 2025 edition.<\/p>\n With the Taoiseach insisting that it is still good to talk, expect Opposition deputies to turn up the heat on this one.<\/p>\n Grok controversy<\/p>\n At home, focus continues on Elon Musk\u2019s Grok<\/a> AI platform, with the Government discussing the possible strengthening of laws around intimate image abuse<\/a>. <\/p>\n With a European Commission investigation expected later this week into the app\u2019s ability to generate offensive content, the Cabinet will examine whether \u201cCoco\u2019s Law\u201d can be toughened up.<\/p>\n An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is investigating about 200 allegations of child sex-abuse imagery generated by Grok.<\/p>\n Ministers will also consider the possible need for a new law banning so-called \u201cdeepfake\u201d images.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hi, Paul Colgan here and welcome to our Monday edition of Inside Politics. 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