'It's an ego thing!' Donald Trump predicted to 'back down' on tariff threat after 'shooting from the hip' over Greenland

Following the announcement by Mr Trump to implement a wave of increasing tariffs on the UK and EU countries, a joint statement has been issued.

The leaders of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK said: "We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.

"Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.

"As members of Nato, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise 'Arctic Endurance' conducted with allies, responds to this necessity. It poses no threat to anyone."

As host Nana Akua suggested that Mr Trump is "set to get his way" on Greenland, Mr Dunn agreed: "Well, that's certainly what he intends to do.

"Turning to the tariff policy is a strength that America has, given it's the biggest economy in the world."

He added: "But of course, we've seen Trump back down in the past, particularly in his threat to impose tariffs on China. And if the European Union and the UK suggested that there will be a trade war that goes from this, he may be inclined to think again on that.

"But the important consideration to think about here is that this week coming up, the Supreme Court will actually look at the legality of the tariffs that Trump has imposed up until now. So it may be that actually the Trump's ability to threaten these tariffs is taken away from him by the Supreme Court.

"And certainly also the opinion in Congress is opposed to Trump trying to impose tariffs or threaten Iceland and Denmark. So Denmark and Greenland in this way, and that might also be a source of pressure on him to actually modify his his position."

Critiquing the US President's strategy, Mr Dunn said: "Trump tends to fire from the hip and see what happens as a consequence of that. But he's also somebody who can, in certain circumstances, back down.

"But of course, he's also been on this issue of Greenland for most of the last year and indeed in his first administration, too. So it's a tricky issue."

Asked what the "strategic advantage" is for Trump acquiring Greenland, Mr Dunn explained: "There is no strategic point.

"There is a treaty between Denmark and the United States since 1951, that gives America carte blanche to do whatever it wants, in terms of military deployments in Greenland."

He added: "So Denmark and Greenland have said if you want to exploit the rare earth materials of the oil and gas there, we're perfectly happy for you to do that, and he's saying we need this because we need to deploy missile defence and radars there.

"Well actually, America has missile defence radars in Poland, it doesn't mean you have to own Poland. There is no need for them to own it for strategic reasons, either military or in terms of natural resources.

"What this is about is that Trump wants to be a President who expands the territorial boundaries of the United States. He has on his walls in the White House President McKinley, who expanded the borders of the United States, and he wants that."

He concluded: "It's an ego thing, it's about the idea of making America bigger, and he wants that as part of his legacy.

"But of course what that means is demanding the whole population of Greenland are sold effectively like slaves against their wishes into the ownership of somebody else, and that's a difficult thing to deliver however way you wrap it up. And that makes it difficult to reconcile these two positions."