Shellshocked EU Rethinks US Relationship After Trump Threat

Jan. 22, 2026, 6:03 PM UTC

European officials agreed on one thing in the hours after US President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink over Greenland: The continent’s economy and defenses must stand on their own, fast.

But when it came to opinions on how to do that, and how strongly to confront the US in the future, that unity dissolved.

The head-spinning events of the past week have underscored the European Union’s vulnerabilities to US aggression. Trump’s threats to take Greenland and pile tariffs on those opposing him showed his willingness to defy Europe at any moment, even if it upends a global ...

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