Report claims France prepared for ‘shooting war’ if Trump moved to seize Greenland
WASHINGTON, DC: European leaders reportedly held a private strategy meeting after President Donald Trump renewed his push to acquire Greenland, with concerns running so high that French and Danish forces stationed on the Arctic island were said to be prepared for a possible military confrontation.
According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, the closed-door meeting reflected growing unease among America's closest allies over Trump's foreign policy decisions and his continued insistence that Greenland should become US territory.
Donald Trump's renewed Greenland push reportedly alarmed European allies
Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should acquire Greenland, describing the autonomous Danish territory as important to national security.
While the US already operates a military base on the island and can expand its presence under an existing agreement, Trump has indicated he wants Greenland to become part of the United States.
According to the report, concerns inside Europe intensified shortly after the January 3 US military raid in Venezuela, during which then-President Nicolas Maduro was abducted and brought to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.
The report said Trump renewed his interest in Greenland soon after that operation, prompting European leaders to gather for an emergency-style meeting at the European Council headquarters in Brussels.
The discussions were reportedly held under strict secrecy. Cameras and mobile phones were not allowed inside, and each head of government was instructed to attend alone.
The five-hour meeting focused on how European allies should respond to Trump's increasingly aggressive position on Greenland and what they viewed as a changing security relationship with Washington.
Emmanuel Macron reportedly warned Europe that 'there is no going back'
According to The Wall Street Journal, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered one of the strongest messages during the meeting.
France had already deployed troops to Greenland as part of Denmark's Operation Arctic Endurance, alongside forces from Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The report claimed that French and Danish forces stationed there were prepared for "a shooting war" with the United States if events escalated.
As discussions continued, Macron reportedly addressed fellow leaders with a blunt warning.
"We are drawing a line here," Macron reportedly said, according to several leaders present and their senior aides.
The report said the French president argued that European governments had spent the past year trying to manage Trump through diplomacy, concessions, and praise, but believed that approach had reached its limit.
"There is no going back," Macron said as he again pushed his long-standing argument that Europe's dependence on the United States had become a growing security concern.
European governments reportedly reduce dependence on American technology
Beyond military concerns, the report said European countries have also begun reducing their reliance on American technology companies.
According to the publication, governments in countries including France and the Netherlands are quietly replacing US technology with European alternatives.
Officials are reportedly adopting open-source software developed in Europe and encouraging civil servants to move away from Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Office.
The report also said European governments are investing hundreds of billions of dollars into developing their own private space companies, artificial intelligence firms, and data centers in an effort to reduce dependence on major American technology businesses.
European intelligence assessments reportedly reflected growing frustration with Trump
The report also described how intelligence agencies across Europe have reassessed their relationship with Washington during Trump's second term.
One assessment from Southern Europe reportedly stated, "You are not dealing with an administration that has processes, you are dealing with a single volatile individual."
Britain's MI6 also reportedly expressed concern over the political climate inside Washington.
According to the report, the agency described Trump's second White House as "'The Crucible' meets 'Wolf Hall,'" comparing it to fictional stories centered on political fear and power struggles.
The intelligence service also reportedly advised its officers not to raise the subject of Trump during conversations with their CIA counterparts.
According to The Wall Street Journal, many European leaders have grown increasingly frustrated after repeated attempts to manage their relationship with Trump through flattery and diplomatic concessions produced what they viewed as "diminishing returns."
