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The French President emphasised his country's unwavering support for Denmark amid escalating US pressure on the autonomous Arctic territory.
20:20, Wed, Jan 14, 2026 Updated: 20:23, Wed, Jan 14, 2026
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron (Image: GETTY)
Emmanuel Macron has delivered a stark warning to Donald Trump, cautioning that any violation of Greenland’s sovereignty would unleash "unprecedented cascading consequences" for the transatlantic alliance. The intervention marks the firmest European rebuke yet to the intensifying rhetoric of Mr Trump, which has shifted from diplomatic interest to explicit threats of force.
The US President has recently escalated his language dramatically, suggesting that the United States will secure the island either "the easy way or the hard way," a framing that has sent shockwaves through European capitals. Speaking during a Council of Ministers meeting in Paris today, French President Mr Macron emphasised France's unwavering support for Denmark amid escalating US pressure on the autonomous Arctic territory.
A demonstration outside the US Embassy in Copenhagen (Image: Getty)
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon quoted Mr Macron as saying: "We do not underestimate the statements on Greenland. If the sovereignty of a European and allied country were affected, the cascading consequences would be unprecedented. And France is following the situation with the greatest attention and will conduct its actions in full solidarity with Denmark and its sovereignty."
The three-word phrase "cascading consequences" — rendered in French as "conséquences en cascade" — encapsulates the alarm of Mr Macron over potential fallout from any forceful US move, including risks to NATO cohesion. The warning comes hours after Mr Trump doubled down on his demand for US control of Greenland in a Truth Social post, declaring it "vital" for his planned Golden Dome missile defence system.
Mr Trump wrote: "The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable."
Additionally, Mr Trump added that NATO "should be leading the way" to secure the island, warning: "IF WE DON'T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!" The dispute intensified as Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House in high-stakes talks described as "frank."
Denmark confirmed plans for a more permanent and larger military presence in Greenland, alongside increased NATO exercises throughout 2026. Greenland, home to 57,000 people and strategically positioned in the melting Arctic, has been autonomous within the Danish kingdom since 1979. A 1951 defence agreement already grants the US significant military access, including at Pituffik Space Base.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reinforced the European position by announcing France will open its first consulate in Nuuk on 6 February — a decision made last summer during the visit of Mr Macron to the island — as a "political signal" of increased presence and solidarity.
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Mr Barrot stressed: "Greenland does not want to be owned, governed... or integrated into the United States. Greenland has made the choice of Denmark, NATO, (European) Union."
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any US force against Greenland could spell the end of NATO. As tensions rise, the intervention of Mr Macron underscores the potential for profound alliance strain.
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