As Trump “would consider taking Greenland by force as an option to acquire the land” and “may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” it seems his style of bullying diplomacy won’t earn Washington that much trust anymore with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized President Trump’s escalating dissatisfaction with Europe. In the speech, Prime Minister Carney boldly rejected the U.S.-led “rules-based order” under President Trump and called for middle powers, such as Canada, to take the lead in a new era of multilateralism in the absence of a stable White House amid “great power rivalry” and coercion.
Carney stated, “We’re in the midst of a rupture, not a transition” in the global order, where great powers have flaunted economic tools like tariffs uncontrollably, abandoning the concept of mutual cooperation and rules as Trump has so clearly done in his efforts to secure Greenland. Although he has now ruled out “excessive strength and force,” Trump didn’t fall short of reminding countries that the U.S. military would be “frankly unstoppable” if he chose to use it.
Carney’s trip to Beijing between Jan. 14 and Jan. 17 marked the first time a Canadian Prime Minister visited China since 2017, aimed at resetting and repairing relations since the 2018 Huawei Scandal. A visit amid U.S. tariffs exemplifies Canada’s willingness to diversify trade and relationships while the U.S. escalates confrontation. It proves that middle powers like Canada are starting to reposition themselves in a more multipolar system, rather than aligning themselves with a U.S.-centric order.
The Trump administration’s policies, including tariffs on Canada, threats of annexation into the 51st state and aggressive stances toward China, have eroded Canadian trust in the U.S. Canada has shown greater leadership in Ukraine’s aid, G7 commitments, fulfilling International Criminal Court (ICC) commitments and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) burden-sharing, filling perceived U.S. hesitations and more importantly stood in solidarity with its arctic ally — Greenland.
Canada’s public support for Greenland and Denmark reflects a direct test of whether Ottawa will bow down to Washington’s agenda, which Carney has proven otherwise by defining Canada’s red lines and maintaining a position of independence and long-standing commitment to NATO.
Carney’s administration has been blending the Pearson-era idealism of the 1960s, where Canada was seen as a peacebuilding nation with pragmatic pivots. Still, Canada has always acted in this manner historically. The country played a leading role in the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) during the 1956 Suez Crisis, with Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson essentially establishing the blueprint for modern peacekeeping, a move designed to ease tensions between nations, even those that were supposed to be allies. It’s safe to assume that Canada has become Europe’s most trusted ally in North America in the face of Trump and is mending the wounds stemming from it.
Canada remains a U.S. ally at its core and is not aiming to supplant American power. The U.S. also still maintains its global leadership role with its economic and military might. However, countries and traditional allies of the U.S. will start pivoting towards Canadian leadership, purposely ducking and chastising Trump by skipping diplomatic events and invitations where he is involved, such as at Davos, his “Board of Peace” and public criticisms of his foreign policies.
