British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would not bow to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland, as tensions widened across trade, diplomacy, and security ties between the two allies.
Speaking in London, Starmer linked Trump’s renewed criticism of a Chagos Islands sovereignty deal to broader efforts to force Britain to weaken its position on Greenland’s future.
Trump has threatened tariffs against Britain and other European countries unless the United States is allowed to acquire Greenland, prompting Starmer to call for calm discussion while rejecting escalation.
The dispute marks one of the sharpest public clashes between the two leaders since Trump returned to office.
Starmer told lawmakers that Britain’s position on Greenland was rooted in principle and could not be altered through economic threats.
"I will not yield, Britain will not yield, on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position," he said.
He added that Greenland’s future should be determined by its people and by Denmark, rejecting Trump’s stated desire to acquire the territory.
Starmer said Trump had reversed his earlier support for a deal transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in order to exert leverage on London.
The agreement was designed to secure the future of the joint U.S.-UK air base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Trump has since described the deal as reckless, despite his administration previously welcoming it.
The issue spilled into domestic politics as Starmer accused opposition leader Kemi Badenoch of undermining national unity on Greenland.
During prime minister’s questions, Starmer said Trump’s language on Chagos was intentionally deployed to pressure Britain into yielding.
He argued that maintaining close ties with Washington remained essential, particularly on security cooperation and support for Ukraine.
"That does not mean we agree with the U.S. on everything," Starmer said, warning against damaging the bilateral relationship.
He described it as “foolhardy” to abandon cooperation with the United States despite disagreements.
Starmer is expected to host Denmark’s prime minister in London later this week, underscoring coordination with Copenhagen as the dispute continues.
The episode reflects growing strain as economic threats, territorial questions, and alliance politics intersect across the Atlantic.