LEILA FADEL, HOST:
There is still a lot we don't know about what President Trump is calling a framework of a future deal for Greenland, which is part of Denmark. That is a deal he worked out with the head of NATO, not leaders from Denmark or Greenland. But whatever it includes, this much is clear - Trump's use of threats to get to this point has greatly antagonized U.S. allies in Europe and beyond.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
That became most clear in Trump's and Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney's, remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
FADEL: For more, we're joined by NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre. Hey, Greg.
GREG MYRE, BYLINE: Hi, Leila.
FADEL: OK, so let's get right to it. Just break down how this spat between Trump and Canada's leader, Mark Carney, came to be.
MYRE: Yeah. Carney spoke Tuesday, the day before Trump. And his remarks went viral as this usually low-key politician made this sweeping claim, saying that the global order built and led by the U.S. for 80 years was not just strained - it had actually come apart.
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PRIME MINSITER MARK CARNEY: Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited.
MYRE: And so Carney didn't mention Trump by name, but the implication was clear. And we should note - Carney visited China last week and signed an agreement for his country to buy electric vehicles from China. To drive home that point, Carney said China is now a more reliable partner than the U.S.
FADEL: And how did Trump respond to the Canadian leader?
MYRE: Well, Trump did mention Carney by name. And he actually took a swipe at him and all of Canada in his speech on Wednesday.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn't so grateful. They should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.
MYRE: So over the past year, Trump has threatened tariffs on Canada, imposed tariffs on Canada, paused tariffs on Canada. So we've seen lots of tension over trade. And of course, Canada's close to Greenland, and it's a key player in any discussion on Arctic security. Just hard to recall any time when we've seen this level of friction between the leaders of the U.S. and Canada.
FADEL: Now, Trump singled out Canada, but didn't he also have some harsh words for Europe and NATO?
MYRE: Yes. Absolutely. Trump insulted Europe as weak and in decline. And he also repeated a statement he often makes about NATO that just doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
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TRUMP: The United States is treated very unfairly by NATO. I want to tell you that. And when you think about it, nobody can dispute it. We give so much, and we get so little in return.
MYRE: Now, of course, back in 2001, after the al-Qaida terrorist attacks in the U.S., NATO countries rushed to join the U.S. in the war in Afghanistan. This was the first and only time that NATO's Article 5 was triggered - the section saying an attack on one is an attack on all. And overall, more than a thousand NATO troops from other countries - Europe and Canada - were killed in that war.
FADEL: Now, Trump did alienate allies in his first term as well - right, Greg? So can we point to something that's really different in this term?
MYRE: Yeah. Trump has really gone from a lot of tough talk to taking stronger actions when it comes to tariffs or economic cooperation or military cooperation. And remember, Trump talked about acquiring Greenland in his first term, drawing mostly eye rolls. This time, he got everyone's attention and perhaps even some sort of a deal, though we're still waiting for the details.
FADEL: That's NPR's Greg Myre. Thank you, Greg.
MYRE: Sure thing, Leila. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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