Mary Trump, psychologist and Donald Trump’s niece, expressed frustration with European leaders’ negotiation strategy in response to US tariffs on European countries over Greenland.
Trump’s Niece Criticizes European Approach
Mary Trump, a psychologist and Donald Trump’s niece, published a social media post on Sunday evening, January 18, that quickly gained international attention. Reacting to New York Times reports that European officials prefer negotiating with the US rather than retaliating, she didn’t hide her frustration. The president’s older brother’s daughter quoted the American newspaper’s headline and added: “I’m f***ing tired of failed negotiation strategies and concessions. It only strengthens him. Fight!” The post was a direct response to Donald Trump’s announcement of imposing tariffs on European countries opposing American plans regarding Greenland.
Tariffs and Greenland: What’s the Dispute About?
Donald Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on goods from selected European countries, starting at 10 percent with the possibility of increasing it to 25 percent in the coming months. The threats are meant as pressure regarding Greenland, which the US president views as a key element of strategic security in the Arctic. Trump argues that American control over Greenland would be beneficial not only for the US but also for Europe. European leaders – including Germany, France and the United Kingdom – clearly reject this approach. They emphasize that the island’s future depends solely on its residents. In response to Trump’s announcement, leaders of the largest European countries warned that they would not be intimidated.
EU Prefers Dialogue but Considers Retaliation
According to New York Times reports, EU diplomats during emergency meetings in Brussels are leaning toward a negotiation strategy. Meanwhile, in the background, scenarios for retaliatory actions are emerging, including activating a list of tariffs worth over 90 billion euros, prepared during previous trade tensions with the US.
According to the latest American media reports, Trump is expected to make aggressive demands for the US to take control of Greenland, claiming he “no longer feels obligated to think only about peace.”
Symbolic Opposition in the US
Although Mary Trump holds no political position, her statements are closely watched, especially as she has publicly criticized her uncle for years. She nearly daily publishes posts attacking the Republican party. “Without Martin Luther King Jr., we wouldn’t have the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. Now, Republicans and a corrupt, illegitimate Supreme Court majority are seeking to uproot them. In honor of Dr. King, let’s do everything in our power to ensure they fail,” she wrote the next day. However, on the Greenland issue, she is not an isolated opponent of Donald Trump’s policy. According to public opinion polls, a vast majority of Americans believe the US should not be interested in taking over the island.
