Trump Leaks Private Messages From Macron and NATO Chief, Igniting Diplomatic Firestorm Over Greenland
Image Illustration The Newz Square
President Donald Trump has publicly shared private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, escalating diplomatic unease across Europe and reigniting controversy over the administration’s aggressive stance on Greenland.
The posts appeared on Trump’s Truth Social account just days after Norway’s government confirmed that a leaked message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was authentic, underscoring growing discomfort among U.S. allies over the president’s rhetoric and tactics.
The disclosures come as European leaders attempt to strike a careful balance: condemning Trump’s push for U.S. control over Greenland while still trying to preserve unity within NATO. Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, has become a flashpoint in transatlantic relations after Trump insisted it is vital to U.S. national security and should fall under American control.
In one screenshot shared by Trump, Macron praised U.S. efforts in the Middle East but expressed confusion over the Greenland issue. “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland,” Macron wrote, while proposing a G7 meeting in Paris involving leaders from Ukraine, Denmark, Syria and Russia. A source close to the French president confirmed to Newsweek that the message was authentic.
Trump also posted a private message from NATO chief Mark Rutte, who congratulated the president on foreign policy actions and pledged to highlight Trump’s work during appearances at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Rutte added that he was “committed to finding a way forward on Greenland.” NATO later confirmed the message was genuine.
The controversy follows confirmation by Norway’s government that Trump told Prime Minister Støre he no longer felt obligated to prioritize peace after being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize. In the message, Trump argued that Denmark lacked a legitimate claim to Greenland and asserted that U.S. control was necessary to prevent Russia and China from expanding their influence in the Arctic.
Trump’s Greenland push has already triggered economic retaliation. After European nations opposed U.S. demands, the administration imposed new tariffs on several allies, including Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Trump later threatened even steeper duties unless negotiations moved toward what he called the “complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
European officials have warned that such tactics risk a dangerous escalation. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc’s response would be “unflinching” if tariffs take effect, while French officials dismissed Trump’s threats as “unacceptable and ineffective.”
The public release of private diplomatic messages has further strained relations, with critics warning it could erode trust between allies at a time of heightened global instability.
