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Brussels Playbook Podcast

BONUS EPISODE: At Davos, the twist in Trump's Greenland tale. So what does Europe do next?

Brussels Playbook Podcast

POLITICO

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.4 • 204 Ratings

🗓️ 22 January 2026

⏱️ 33 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Donald Trump loomed large over the World Economic Forum’s annual get-together in the Swiss Alps — even before he touched down for his big speech.  In this special episode from Davos, host Anne McElvoy talks to influential European and North American voices about President Trump’s intention to take over Greenland and the consequences for Europe and NATO. Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen tells Anne that America must decide if it’s on the “side of the predator,” like Russia and China, or the "side of freedom." Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, meanwhile, insists “that Greenland remain part of Denmark.” She also talks to Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign minister, and influential Harvard economist and the former chief economist of the IMF, Ken Rogoff, who delivers a stark prediction for 2026. Then came the final twist in the tale, when President Trump announced that he was dropping tariffs on the eight European countries who opposed his Greenland plans - after reaching a "framework deal". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:34.1

The unmistakable figure of Donald Trump loomed large over the world economic forums annual get-together at Davos,

0:42.7

even before he touched down for his big speech.

0:50.1

This gathering of business and political leaders and tech titans in their designer ski jackets was about a lot more than the usual fare of AI developments and climate change concerns and global cooperation.

1:05.8

I've been coming to this summit now for a decade and the agenda this year was more like a decisive G7 geopolitics

1:13.6

meeting than Davos as usual. The questions on all lips. Will a US president irate with Europe

1:20.6

ignore its warnings and invade Greenland? Might he embark on a major new tariff war with Europe, and could he even sign

1:29.6

the death warrant of NATO?

1:32.4

It's been a very high altitude political week up here in the Swiss Mountains.

1:39.3

We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable.

1:48.0

But I won't do that.

1:54.0

All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.

1:58.0

I'm your host Anne Mikhailvoy and welcome to this special edition of EU Confidential

2:03.8

from Davos, where I've been talking to key voices from both sides of the Atlantic, gauging

2:09.7

the impact on Europe of the 47th President's threats and daily missives.

2:15.0

The slogan for this year's World Economic Forum has been the spirit of dialogue.

2:20.6

It hasn't exactly lived up to that calm billing, more like a cacophony from the big beasts.

...

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