If you’ve been struggling to keep up with the whirlwind of Trump-era diplomacy, you’re not alone. From tariff threats and sovereignty standoffs to newly minted “peace boards” and digital provocations, here is everything we managed to piece together so far — with apologies in advance if something moved even faster than we could track it.
As tensions over tariffs and Greenland escalated on January 20–21, Donald Trump opened another front in transatlantic relations: the public humiliation of European leaders, often through social media posts exposing private communications.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer became a primary target after Trump accused the UK of “GREAT STUPIDITY” for its plan to transfer sovereignty over Diego Garcia to Mauritius, despite the island hosting a major US military base. Trump framed the issue as yet another justification for acquiring Greenland, linking territorial sovereignty directly to US national security.
The attack marked a sharp reversal from earlier US support for the UK–Mauritius deal, which had been praised in May by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “historic agreement” and a “monumental achievement”. UK officials responded by urging restraint, with senior Labour figures advising against escalation as Trump’s online messaging intensified.
France Drawn Into the Spotlight
French President Emmanuel Macron was also pulled into the storm. Shortly before publishing an apparently AI-generated image depicting North America with Canada and Greenland coloured in US flag imagery, Trump shared a private message from Macron questioning Washington’s Greenland strategy and proposing a G7 meeting in Paris.
The message, which referenced cooperation on Syria and Iran and included an invitation to dinner in Paris, evoked an earlier, warmer phase in Franco-American relations. That tone did not last. Asked about Macron’s refusal to join Trump’s newly announced “Board of Peace”, the US president responded with a personal attack, saying “nobody wants him” and predicting he would soon be out of office.
A Pattern of Exposed Diplomacy
Macron and Starmer were not isolated cases. Trump has, in recent days, publicly circulated private messages from other leaders, including the prime minister of Norway, whom he accused of snubbing him over the Nobel Peace Prize. He has also read out notes from senior US officials during televised remarks, apparently shared with him in confidence.
The approach has reinforced a pattern in which traditional diplomatic discretion is replaced by public exposure, often without warning to the leaders involved.
NATO and the Politics of Deference
The episode also brought renewed attention to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, whose flattering private message to Trump — praising his actions in Syria, Gaza and Ukraine and expressing readiness to “find a way forward” on Greenland — was likewise posted publicly by the US president.
Rutte, who has previously referred to Trump as “Daddy” during a NATO meeting, became a symbol of the increasingly uncomfortable balancing act faced by European leaders trying to preserve alliances while avoiding confrontation.
Trump’s own framing of global conflicts added to the unease. Speaking publicly, he compared Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to a playground fight, suggesting it should be allowed to continue briefly before intervention — remarks widely seen as trivialising the conflict.
Europe Pushes Back on Tariffs and Sovereignty
Alongside the personal attacks, policy tensions intensified. Trump reiterated his intention to impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries to pressure Denmark over Greenland.
From Davos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EU would respond with an “unflinching, united and proportional” reaction if the tariffs take effect on 1 February, calling them a mistake that risked a dangerous downward spiral.
Also in Davos, Macron said the EU should not hesitate to deploy its Anti-Coercion Instrument, warning that the accumulation of tariffs as leverage over territorial sovereignty was “fundamentally unacceptable”.
From Strasbourg, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stated that tariff threats would not pressure Denmark into handing over Greenland and cautioned that a trade war would impoverish both sides of the Atlantic.
Denmark Draws a Red Line
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made Denmark’s position explicit. While open to discussions with the United States on security, investment and economic cooperation related to Greenland, she stressed that sovereignty is not negotiable.
“We can negotiate anything,” Frederiksen told the Danish parliament. “But we cannot negotiate our very fundamental values, sovereignty, the identity of our countries and our borders. Our democracy.”
European leaders publicly closed ranks behind Denmark, while continuing to signal openness to a diplomatic solution.
Washington Calls for Calm — With Conditions
Responding to European statements, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged restraint, telling Europeans to “sit back, take a deep breath, do not retaliate”, while insisting NATO remained “very safe” under Trump.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned that any EU response would lead to a tit-for-tat escalation.
From Gaza to a Global “Board of Peace”
Amid the turmoil, Trump also expanded his foreign policy ambitions. What began as a proposed mechanism to oversee a Gaza ceasefire evolved into a broader “Board of Peace”, with invitations extended to dozens of countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on January 21 that he would join the board, despite earlier objections from his office regarding the composition of its executive committee, which includes regional rival Turkey.
Trump has suggested the body could soon broker conflicts well beyond Gaza, signalling an increasingly personalised and unpredictable approach to global diplomacy.