US - Greenland Crisis Thread

[Valmy]

"Now either you are stark raving mad or I am!"

Now there is a line that has crossed my mind several times in the last 10 years.

[viper37]

Hmm.
https://malcolmnance.substack.com/p/greenland-warning-us-arctic-forces

[PJL]

I'm getting seriously worried now, lots of things are happening relating to Greenland, Diego Garcia, the Board of Peace, and the markets are starting to get spooked with falls in the FTSE and big moves in the currency market. WW3  is a distinct possibility in the next few weeks.

I genuinely think Trump doesn't care anymore and won't mind going down in flames, taking the whole world with him. Nothing other than a massive force can stop him now.

[Tamas]

Sounds to me like US treasury secretary Besset is saying that people should not panic and just wait it out with his boss going apeshit. There were a few instances of this the past year when him and Vance and maybe others were puzzled why people just not placate the orange child like they do.

[Tamas]

I'm getting seriously worried now, lots of things are happening relating to Greenland, Diego Garcia, the Board of Peace and the markets are starting to get spooked with falls in the FTSE and big moves in the currency market. WW3  is a distinct possibility in the next few weeks.

This is some fucked up shit. WW1 over the killing of an Austrian prince will look like the epitome of reserved rationality when compared to the world burning beguae an 80 years old toddler couldn't take no for an answer.

Raz when you have your med dialed in let me know what was the prescription.

[Tamas]

Here it is:

Scott Bessent then warns other countries not to retaliate against the US's trade tariffs announced over the Greenland crisis.

Asked about the uncertainty that companies face, and why any country should enter a trade deal with the US, Bessent tells his press conference here in Davos:

I would say this is the same kind of hysteria that we heard on April 2nd. There was a panic.

[That was the day of Trump's initial Liberation Day tariffs, which were reversed after a market panic].

Treasury secretary Bessent adds:

What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out.

I am finding this extraordinary. He is saying people should ignore Trump and wait the tantrum out.

[Valmy]

Here it is:

Scott Bessent then warns other countries not to retaliate against the US's trade tariffs announced over the Greenland crisis.

Asked about the uncertainty that companies face, and why any country should enter a trade deal with the US, Bessent tells his press conference here in Davos:

I would say this is the same kind of hysteria that we heard on April 2nd. There was a panic.

[That was the day of Trump's initial Liberation Day tariffs, which were reversed after a market panic].

Treasury secretary Bessent adds:

What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out.

I am finding this extraordinary. He is saying people should ignore Trump and wait the tantrum out.

It is very weird to ask that everybody in the china shop remain calm when you are running around smashing all the china.

[PJL]

'Donald Trump has gone into full Lex Luther mode'- Michael Gove.

[garbon]

We all know Trump appointees, still in their positions, aren't going to point out how crazy it all is.

[Sheilbh]

Also I think you need to see Bessent at the weekend:

WELKER: Is Greenland or NATO more essential to US national security?

BESSENT: That's obviously a false choice

WELKER: Not from the perspective of European leaders

BESSENT: European leaders will come around and understand they need to be under the US security umbrella. What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse.

I think that is a misreading of the European position and views on this - but implicit in what Bessent is saying is after tariffs, the coercion moves to security. The US suspends weapon sales for Ukraine again and halts intel sharing again, or withdrawing the US security umbrella (e.g. withdrawals from Europe).

Having said all that there is a bit of me that wonders if there's going to be some convergence/agreement between Europe and the US on this a Davos. I have no policy or political idea about it (although apparently pushback from Congressional and business leaders in private). But I just wonder from a producer/"it'll make great television" perspective. Obviously nothing was going to be done at the meeting with Vance because he's just the dumpy sidekick. It feels like whatever happens the way Trump will want to end the narrative arc/season is him centre stage declaring victory and maybe Davos is an opportunity for that: dramatic setting, world and business leaders all around him, the centre of the world media when its on.

Edit: Although - maybe I'm wrong - I feel like the markets are kind of with Bessent. I've been surprised at how little reaction therre's been - I think the governor of the BofE has described it as "more muted" than they'd worried it would be. It certainly seems less severe than the market reaction to the April tariff announcement which I'm slightly surprised by - I can only guess they're thinking like Bessent?

[Tonitrus]

That interview with Bessent was an absolute train wreck...as it would be trying to justify the unjustifiable. That snippet isn't even the most absurd part...

[Crazy_Ivan80]

The markets, like the trumpians, seem to live in la-la-land though. Are they even connected to the real economy anymore?