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Left, Right & Center

Trump threatens Greenland… then pulls back

Left, Right & Center

KCRW

352865, News

3.95K Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

President Trump’s contentious relationship with NATO seemed set to reach its peak at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. European leaders formed a united front against his belligerence over American control of Greenland in recent weeks. The floating of a military attack or new tariffs on NATO members who opposed the move appeared to doom the longstanding alliance. However, upon his arrival, the president walked back any threats of military force and announced that there would be no new tariffs after working out a new agreement with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte. But does that mean the partnership between NATO and the US is back on steady ground?


This week marked the first year of the president’s second term in the oval office. It was an eventful year full of legal challenges, deployments, deals  and concepts of deals. The focus in the White House was on the execution of President Trump’s policies on border security and the economy. We’ll look back at how those policies have played out, and discussed what stood out about his first 12 months back in power.


Recent social media posts from the White House have come into the spotlight for their controversial language. Critics say the posts are a show of support for far right nationalist ideology. What’s driving the official government accounts to sounding so much more Trump-like than in his first term?


Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to left, right, and center.

0:03.8

I'm McKay Coppins, staff writer at the Atlantic, filling in for David Green.

0:08.3

President Trump was willing to go all out for Greenland until he wasn't.

0:12.4

Earlier this week, Trump doubled down on his by any means necessary pursuit of Greenland

0:16.8

in a White House press briefing.

0:18.2

How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenwood?

0:21.6

You'll find out.

0:23.1

The president backed off the threat of military action once he arrived in Switzerland for the

0:27.6

World Economic Forum.

0:28.7

We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force

0:33.3

where we would be, frankly, unstoppable.

0:37.5

But I won't do that.

0:41.3

Okay?

0:41.8

Now everyone's saying, oh, good.

0:44.3

That's probably the biggest statement I made,

0:47.2

because people thought I would use force.

0:48.9

I don't have to use force.

0:50.0

I don't want to use force.

0:50.9

I won't use force.

0:52.6

Now even the threat of an economic battle seems to have dissipated

0:55.9

following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Ruta.

0:59.9

And Trump's reversal came after leaders of several U.S. allied countries

...

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