Trump releases private text messages from European leaders responding to Greenland tariff threat

President Trump fired off a flurry of social media posts overnight, sharing private text messages with world leaders, mocking America’s European allies and reaffirming his insistence that the United States must seize control of Greenland, the semiautonomous Danish territory.

“There can be no going back,” Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on his Truth Social platform.

Trump’s posts came hours before he was set to join them at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He is scheduled to depart Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon and is due to speak at the forum on Wednesday.

The missives came a day after Trump threatened to impose 10% tariffs against eight European countries that don’t support his efforts to acquire Greenland.

Trump has insisted that the U.S. will acquire the massive Arctic island “one way or the other” and has repeatedly suggested he may consider using the military to accomplish that goal.

Trump shares texts from Macron and NATO chief

In his overnight Truth Social posts, Trump shared recent text messages he received from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

In one text, Macron told Trump, “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.” The French president offered to convene a meeting of the Group of 7 leaders after the Davos forum concludes. Macron also invited Trump to dinner in Paris.

Trump posted a fawning text message he received from Rutte, who said he would use his own “media engagements” in Davos to highlight the U.S. president’s work in Syria, Gaza and Ukraine.

“I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland,” Rutte wrote to Trump. “Can’t wait to see you.”

In another Truth Social post, Trump shared an image of himself flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, planting a U.S. flag on Greenland next to a sign that read: “Greenland: U.S. territory EST 2026.”

What is Trump’s tariff threat, exactly?

In a Truth Social post on Saturday morning, Trump announced that, effective Feb. 1, he intends to impose a new 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. The tariff will increase to 25% on June 1. Trump said the tariffs will remain in effect until a deal for U.S. control of Greenland is reached.

In a joint statement, the eight NATO nations Trump threatened with tariffs denounced his decree.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” the countries said. “We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”

Meanwhile, Macron and other leaders are reportedly considering using the European Union’s anti-coercion instrument — known as the “trade bazooka”— against the United States should Trump follow through on his tariff threat.

In a brief telephone interview with NBC News, Trump said he would “100%” follow through on the 10% tariffs against Denmark and seven other European nations if there isn’t a Greenland deal.

What are they saying in Davos?

In her own speech at the forum in Davos on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Trump’s tariff threat a “mistake” that undermines the trade deal forged between the U.S. and EU last July. At the time, Trump called it “the biggest deal ever made.”

“In politics as in business, a deal is a deal,” she said. “And when friends shake hands, it must mean something.”

Von der Leyen said the EU’s response to Trump’s imposed tariffs would be “unflinching, united and proportional.”

“We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape,” she added.

Macron, in his speech, said that Europe would not be intimidated by Trump.

“It’s not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism,” Macron said.

He described Europe as “predictable, loyal and where you know that the rule of the game is just the rule of law.”

“We do prefer respect to bullies,” Macron said. “And we do prefer rule of law to brutality.”