Donald Trump backed down from his threats on Greenland because the UK stood up for the Danish territory’s sovereignty, David Lammy has told the .
The deputy prime minster told Nick Robinson’s Political Thinking that the US president had “responded to our concerns” in dropping threats to use force or trade sanctions to take control of the island.
He added that European counties were “now back where we wanted to be, which is a negotiation, effectively”.
But he added that Trump was still determined for the US to “play a bigger role” in Arctic regional security, amid increased Russian activity in the region.
Trump abandoned threats to use military force to take control of Greenland on Wednesday, backing away from a position that had threatened to bring relations with Denmark and other Nato allies to a new low.
Hours later, he also dropped a threat to impose 10% import taxes on eight countries, including the UK, that had opposed his demands, citing progress towards a “future deal” over Greenland.
Sir Keir Starmer did not threaten tariffs in retaliation, despite Trump branding the PM’s deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius an “act of great stupidity” that showed an increased US presence was required in Greenland.
He then stepped up his public opposition to Trump on Wednesday, telling MPs he would not “yield” on Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Downing Street has also credited “serious behind-the-scenes diplomacy” for Trump’s withdrawal of his threat of sanctions.
‘Crystal clear’
Lammy, a former foreign secretary who is close to US vice-president JD Vance, said he had never believed the US would use military force to annex the Danish territory.
“I said years ago that was never, ever going to happen,” he told Political Thinking, in an interview recorded on Thursday. Lammy said in January last year, before his second term began, that Trump would not try to take Greenland by force.
Lammy told Nick Robinson that Trump’s change of approach this week was a “consequence” of the UK making its position on the need to respect international law and the will of fellow Nato allies “absolutely crystal clear”.
“Let’s remember what has actually happened. Donald Trump stepped back from any suggestion of force, and he stepped back from the use of tariffs,” he added.
“Why? Because his close friend the United Kingdom and European partners expressed their displeasure, and he has stepped back.
“What’s really gone on is actually our great ally, the United States, despite the noise, has responded to our concerns.”
‘New environment’
Starmer has faced pressure from outside and within the Labour Party to take a tougher stance in his approach to Trump, having stuck to a strategy of trying to avoid public confrontation with the US president.
Lammy said he still believed the UK-US relationship was still “special”, citing close co-operation on security and defence.
But he acknowledged that there was a “new environment” internationally, in which major powers such as the US could use “coercion instead of the courts” to settle disputes with other countries.
He said “the old order isn’t coming back,” adding: “The tectonic plates have shifted. There is profound change”.
He also argued an increasing American focus on Asia meant that Europe would need to take a leadership role within the Nato transatlantic alliance over the course of “this next century”.
You can listen to the full episode of Political Thinking on Sounds now.
