Newsom Accuses Europe of ‘Pathetic’ Complicity on Greenland 2026
Gavin Newsom has launched a blistering attack on European leaders, accusing them of being “complicit” by failing to confront Donald Trump over his demands to buy or take control of Greenland.
Newsom Accuses Europe
Speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, the California governor, widely seen as a leading Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, said European governments were being “played” by Trump and warned that attempts to negotiate with him amounted to “not diplomacy, it’s stupidity”.
“It’s time to buck up, it’s time to get serious and stop being complicit,” Newsom said. “I can’t take this complicity. People rolling over. This is pathetic.”
Newsom has long mocked US politicians who he says grovel before Trump, often using the image of kneepads as a symbol of submission, a theme he has even turned into merchandise. In Davos, he repeated the criticism, arguing that excessive deference only emboldens the former president.
European leaders have so far been reluctant to provoke a direct confrontation with Washington. The United States remains a crucial trading partner and a cornerstone of Europe’s security, particularly through Nato, and several leaders have sought to act as informal intermediaries with Trump in an effort to keep him engaged on Ukraine and within the alliance.
That caution has been tested by Trump’s renewed insistence that the United States must be allowed to acquire Greenland, a semi autonomous territory of Denmark, on national security grounds. His accompanying threat to impose tariffs on European countries that oppose the move has triggered confusion and anger across the continent, alongside discussions in Brussels about possible retaliatory trade measures.
In the days leading up to Davos, several European politicians sought meetings with Trump in an attempt to defuse the situation. Among them was Mark Rutte, who wrote to the US president in flattering terms, praising what he described as Trump’s achievements in Syria, a reference to a recent ceasefire involving Syrian government forces and Kurdish led militias.
Newsom dismissed such approaches, arguing that Trump exploits perceived weakness. In separate remarks, he urged Europe to “stand tall and firm”, speak with one voice and push back decisively, while also saying he did not believe Trump would attempt to seize Greenland by military force.
Read More: US Futures Slide as Greenland Crisis Rattles Markets
Trump is due to address the Davos gathering on Wednesday, an appearance that has already overshadowed the meeting. His stance on Greenland has put the transatlantic alliance under fresh strain, with Washington warning that European counter tariffs would be “unwise”.
Ursula von der Leyen told the forum that any EU response would be “unflinching, united and proportional”.
Denmark, meanwhile, has sought to draw a clear line. Mette Frederiksen told the Danish parliament that Copenhagen was open to discussions with the United States on Greenland’s security and economic development, but not on sovereignty.
“We can negotiate many things,” Frederiksen said. “But we cannot negotiate our most fundamental values, our sovereignty, the identity of our countries and our borders. Our democracy.”
