UK Leader Ed Davey Calls US President Trump ‘International Gangster’ Over Greenland ‘Bullying’

London: In a significant escalation, a prominent British political leader has labelled U.S. President Donald Trump an "international gangster," accusing him of using "bullying" tactics to pressure European allies into the acquisition of Greenland.

The remarks, delivered during a parliamentary debate on Monday, comes in the backdrop of President Trump threatening to impose a 10% tariff on any goods from the United Kingdom and seven other European nations starting February 1.

‘Acting Like a Bully’

Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, leader of the third-largest party in the UK parliament, was reacting to a series of trade tariff-linked threats aimed at the United Kingdom and its European allies by Trump, who is going after countries opposing his plan to “buy” or annex Greenland from Denmark.

"President Trump is acting like an international gangster, threatening to trample over the sovereignty of a NATO ally and hit our country with outrageous, damaging tariffs unless he gets his hands on Greenland," Davey told lawmakers. 

"He is a bully who thinks he can grab whatever he wants. It is time the Prime Minister stood up to him like we would any other bully."

The row intensified after President Trump posted a series of posts on Truth Social, including an altered map showing Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as U.S. territories. 

In a session marked by high tension, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey described the escalating current diplomatic climate as an "incredibly grave moment" for global stability.

Davey accused Trump, warning that the historic “special relationship” which Donald Trump had previously celebrated at Windsor Castle now lies "nearly in tatters."

"President Trump is acting like an international gangster," Davey asserted, charging that the president is "threatening to trample over the sovereignty of an ally" and, in doing so, "threatening the end of NATO altogether."

Using an analogy to summarise, Davey also characterised Trump as a common bully who “thinks he can grab whatever he wants using force if necessary.”

The UK Government’s Response

Davey warned that the current diplomatic discord serves only the interests of America’s primary adversaries, stating that “the only people cheering him on are Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.”

He aimed at the UK’s political establishment, accusing both the current Labour government and previous Conservative administrations of a failed strategy of “appeasing Trump, flattering him, and fawning over him.” 

Davey argued that this submissive approach has clearly collapsed, leaving the UK with a stark choice: either stand up to the President’s demands or resort to modern-day bribery by funnelling “a few billion into his crypto account.”

This political firestorm was triggered by President Trump’s recent announcement of a sweeping trade offensive, set to begin in February 2026. The plan imposes a 10% import tax on goods from eight European nations, including the UK, escalating to 25% by June. 

The tariffs are a correct measure against countries supporting Denmark’s refusal to negotiate a U.S. takeover of Greenland. 

Trump maintains that annexing the territory is a national security imperative to block Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic.

While Prime Minister Starmer has attempted to maintain the "Special Relationship," the threat of a trade war has unified British politicians across the spectrum. 

The "Greenland Dispute" is expected to dominate the agenda, with European leaders seeking to put up a united front against what they describe as an unprecedented assault on international law and sovereignty.

Also Read: After Threatening Denmark over Greenland, Trump Says Macron Will Be 'Out of Office Soon'