A brutal two-word gut punch from a world leader had already sent shockwaves through Europe — and when California Gov. Gavin Newsom arrived in Davos and went straight at President Donald Trump, it felt like the moment had officially crossed into something bigger, louder, and far more explosive.
World leaders are gathering in the Swiss Alpine resort amid escalating tensions with NATO allies over Trump’s determination to annex Greenland.
But Newsom didn’t stop there on Tuesday, Jan. 20, after arriving in Davos ahead of Trump who is scheduled to address the forum on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Newsom accused the Europeans of “being complicit” and urged them to grow a “spine.”
“People are rolling over. I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders,” an angry Newsom told reporters. “It’s just pathetic.”
Newsom of course referring to Trump’s continual and serious threats to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland, essentially by any means necessary, over Europeans’ objections.
A reporter asked Trump’s archnemesis what he thinks the Europeans should be doing and Newsom didn’t hold back, calling Trump a “wrecking ball” and “unhinged.”
“The Europeans should decide for themselves what to do, but one thing they can’t do is what they’ve been doing. And they’ve been played. This guy is playing folks for fools,” a blunt Newsom told journalists at the forum.
“Stop being complicit,” he declared as he called his political enemy a “T-rex.” “Either you mate with him or he devours you, one or the other.”
Newsom met some pushback from viewers for his bold message. Some receiving it as an attempt to absolve Americans of their responsibility in creating the mess.
One critic wrote, “The monster has been created in America by Americans…the knee pads should go to all the sycophants who enabled Trump to gain this much power over there. Now you want the rest of the world to sort out the mess created in America? Sort out your own house first before having a go at everyone else!”
Another questioned, “Is he doing typical Americanism by blaming the rest of the world for not stepping in to US problems here?”
But there were enough viewers to quell the pushback.
One opined, “So we’ve got a democrat that is in a position to talk tough and does so, unlike Congressional leadership and you’re crying about the message and how it’s delivered? Get real, you can’t have it both ways. Gavin is the one carrying the torch, back him or go back to business as usual.”
Another added, “As a Canadian who is tired of being threatened by the Americans I actually agree with him. I think it’s time for the world leaders to step in and end this. We just want it all to stop.”
And while Newsom was urging Europeans to stand up to Trump one of them took his advice quite literally.
Danish European Parliament Member Anders Vistisen, speaking to the Parliament in a debate over Greenland and Trump’s imperialist threats, had his own blunt message for Trump. The meeting took place on Jan. 13 but recirculated again in the wake of Trump’s escalating threats.
Posted to Threads with the caption, “HOLY SMOKES … Europe is officially done pretending this is normal diplomacy,” Vistisen gained a new audience.
“Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr. President, f-uck off,” Vistisen snarled before he was cut off for using language not allowed in the Parliament, but it shows the Danes are finally losing patience with Trump’s bullying and threats.
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Vistisen was largely applauded for his remarks. “I CAN’T STOP WATCHING HIM SAYING THAT TO TRUMP FOR SOME REASON I AM MESMERIZED LOL,” one viewer mused in all caps on Threads.
Others echoed Newsom’s sentiments, “I want to hear all the European leaders say this.”
The president has spent the past two weeks telling the world that the U.S. needs Greenland for “national security” and that Europe needs the U.S. to protect the territory. Then he got serious, threatening more tariffs if European nations do support his quest to acquire Greenland.
Ahead of his expected arrival in Davos on Wednesday, Jan. 21, to deliver an address before world leaders, he sent out aggressive social media messages, including one aimed at French President Emmanuel Macron, according to USA Today.
Trump reposted a message Macron sent to him, saying, “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.”
View on Threads
And another one targeting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen showing her in the Oval Office at the White House sitting next to a map showing not only Greenland, but also Canada as part of the U.S.
He also posted an AI-generated image of himself, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with an American flag in Greenland with the caption, “US TERRITORY. EST 2026.”
Needless to say, this is not going over well in Europe. In fact, major protests have erupted in Switzerland, with some demonstrators even burning the U.S. flag ahead of Trump’s arrival.
The President’s obsession with the Arctic island is no secret. He has mentioned wanting it several times since starting his second term last January, but his demands to acquire Greenland really ramped up earlier this month when he told reporters aboard Air Force One, “We need Greenland from a national security situation.”
“It’s so strategic,” he insisted, before declaring, “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”
“We need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you, to boost up security in Greenland,” Trump contended
And he hasn’t ruled out military force to annex it, although he has said publicly he expects the Europeans to willingly part with the territory, but it’s been part of Denmark for 800 years, and Greenlanders have protested over any U.S. intentions to take over.
