Lammy laughs off Trump threat to grab Greenland: ‘It’s not going to happen’

Foreign secretary also hit back at Trump’s demands that the UK double its defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has dismissed Donald Trump’s “destabilising” threat to take over Greenland.

“Let’s get serious, it’s not going happen,” he said during an interview with the BBC on Thursday. Asked about the US President Elect’s refusal to rule out using force or economic measures to take over Greenland, currently part of Denmark, Mr Lammy burst out laughing.

“No NATO allies have gone to war since the birth of NATO (in 1949),” he told the BBC. Mr Lammy said Mr Trump’s remarks were in line with his habit of making provocative statements, which he did not always carry through with.

“We know from his first term (as president) that the intensity of his rhetoric and unpredictability sometimes of what he says can be destabilising,” he said. “I suspect on Greenland he is targeting his concerns about Russia and China in the Arctic and his concerns about national economic security. He recognises, I am sure, that Greenland is a kingdom of Denmark.”

Donald Trump has been targeting Greenland (AP)

Mr Lammy emphasised his point when challenged that France and Germany had been more outspoken than the UK in their response to Trump’s threats regarding Greenland.

“Look, let’s get serious,” he said.

When BBC interviewer Amol Rajan interjected: “You don’t think it’s going to happen?” the Foreign Secretary agreed. He burst out laughing adding: “It’s not going to happen.”

NATO allies had never gone to war with each other, he said. Mr Lammy offered a similarly robust reply to Trump’s demand for NATO members, including Britain, to double their defence spending from the current 2.5 per cent of GDP target to 5 per cent. The US only spent 3.38 per cent of its national wealth on defence, he said.

Speaking separately on Sky News, Mr Lammy refused to condemn the US president-elect for indicating he could use military force to seize Greenland or the Panama Canal, saying the remarks are “classic Donald Trump”.

David Lammy said the remarks are “classic Donald Trump” (Sky News)

The foreign secretary also said Mr Trump had raised “legitimate issues” around the canal, after he claimed that it is being operated by Chinese soldiers.

“I think that what sits behind Donald Trump is he’s just won an election,” he said. “Seventy seven million people voted for him up in nearly all classifications, including, by the way, African Americans and Latinos.

“He came in very clearly, saying he was going to work for working people, and he sees Americans, national economic security as centering that.

“That is why he’s raising issues in relation to the Panama Canal and, I suspect, to Greenland. He always amplifies that and does it at its most as its strongest intensity. But sitting behind that are actually quite serious national security and economic issue.”

Despite France and Germany both condemning Mr Trump’s remarks, Mr Lammy refused to do so.

“I suspect the difference in Germany is that they’re fighting an election”, the foreign secretary said. “We’re not in an election season. Here, we fought an election. What sits behind those comments are issues of national security.”

Asked whether he condemns Mr Trump’s indication that he could use military force, Mr Lammy added: “Well, that’s the amplification of the intensity of the rhetoric. But let’s be clear, no NATO countries have gone to war since the establishment of NATO, and I don’t envisage that.

“I’m not in the business of condemning our closest ally. I am in the business of interpreting what sits behind this, and there are some very serious national economic security issues. That’s the basis on which Donald Trump has won his election.”