Donald Trump’s ongoing interest in bringing Greenland under US control is no longer being dismissed by some observers as political theatre. Instead, it is raising alarms about what one commentator describes as a broader and more dangerous shift in global norms.
Writing in The Daily Mirror, political commentator Christopher Bucktin argued that Trump’s fixation on power, territory and dominance reflects a pattern that the world is becoming dangerously used to. In his column, Bucktin warned that public reaction to Trump’s rhetoric has steadily softened.
“The real danger is how familiar this all feels. Each outrageous threat lands, causes a stir, then fades,” he wrote. “The bar drops. What once would have sparked fury is now dismissed as ‘just Trump being Trump’. That shrug is how norms and society collapse.”
For Bucktin, the issue goes far beyond Greenland itself. He suggested that Trump’s behaviour is no longer performative but increasingly consequential. “This is no longer theatre. It’s a warning. Trump’s obsession with power, territory and punishment has turned him into a genuine threat to world order. The only unanswered question is how much damage he will be allowed to do before the world finally tells him his shakedown is over.”
Trump has repeatedly said he believes the United States needs Greenland for national security reasons, and he has sharply criticised NATO allies who oppose the idea. His stance has created tension with several European partners, including Denmark, which controls Greenland as an autonomous territory.
The former president has also escalated his rhetoric in recent days by imposing new tariffs on eight countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. His comments have not been limited to Greenland either. In a Truth Social post on January 20, Trump criticised the UK over its reported plans involving Diego Garcia, an island that hosts a US military base.
He wrote, “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”
Trump continued, “There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before.”
He concluded with another sharp message to US allies: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
To critics like Bucktin, statements like these are not isolated outbursts. They are signs of a growing challenge that the international community may no longer be able to afford to ignore.