President Donald Trump has sparked fresh diplomatic backlash after publicly sharing what he said were private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, all focused on his renewed push to acquire Greenland. The posts, shared on Truth Social, immediately drew attention for breaking long-standing norms around confidential communications between allied leaders.
The story gained traction when reported by Forbes, which detailed how the messages revealed differing reactions among US allies to Trump’s Greenland proposal. While Trump has raised the idea before, the decision to publish private exchanges marked a notable escalation.
The most striking message was attributed to Macron, who appeared openly perplexed by Trump’s position. It parallels other coverage of how Trump refuses to rule out war to acquire Greenland amid widespread concern.
The leaked texts highlighted tensions with key allies
In the message shared by Trump, Macron wrote, “My friend, We are totally in line on Syria, We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.” Sources close to Macron confirmed the text was authentic, though the Élysée Palace has not issued an official comment. The leak followed earlier public remarks from Macron, who had described Trump’s Greenland stance and related tariff threats as unacceptable, even as coverage like Donald Trump’s Gaza board of peace loses credibility showed mixed international reactions.
Macron’s text also referenced potential diplomatic outreach, including an offer to host a G7 meeting in Paris following the Davos summit. He suggested discussions could involve Denmark, Ukraine, Syria, and Russia on the sidelines, signaling interest in multilateral dialogue rather than unilateral action.
By contrast, the message attributed to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte struck a more conciliatory tone. Rutte reportedly praised Trump’s actions in Syria and said he would use media appearances at Davos to highlight Trump’s efforts related to Gaza and Ukraine. He closed by saying he was “committed to finding a way forward on Greenland,” framing the issue as negotiable rather than confrontational.
Trump has continued to question Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, arguing the country cannot adequately protect the island. Speaking to reporters in Miami, he dismissed Denmark’s historical claim, saying its past presence did not amount to legitimate ownership and adding that discussions with other parties would continue.
During the same remarks, Trump addressed reports linking his Greenland push to frustration over not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize. He denied caring about the award but referenced Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presenting him with her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal, even though the honor cannot be transferred.
Trump also amplified his territorial rhetoric through additional social media posts, including images depicting him planting a US flag in the Arctic and a map showing Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as US territory. In a separate post, he criticized the United Kingdom’s decision to transfer sovereignty of Diego Garcia to Mauritius, calling it a strategic mistake and linking the move to his argument that Greenland must be acquired.
The posts ended with Trump reiterating that Denmark and its European allies need to “do the right thing,” reinforcing that Greenland remains a central focus of his foreign policy messaging
Published: Jan 20, 2026 05:00 pm