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Berlin, December 2, 2023
Skarsgård Calls Trump’s greenland Pursuit ‘Absurd,’ european Leaders Condemn Tariff Threats
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Actor Stellan skarsgård delivered a scathing rebuke of Donald Trump’s attempt to acquire Greenland, as tensions escalate between the U.S. and Europe.
- Stellan Skarsgård labeled trump’s pursuit of Greenland as “absurd” and accused him of “megalomania.”
- The U.S. president threatened 25% trade tariffs on several European nations if a deal to acquire Greenland isn’t reached.
- European leaders have denounced the tariff threats as “unacceptable” and akin to “blackmail.”
- Joachim Trier, director of Sentimental Value, emphasized the importance of respecting international law and avoiding colonialist ambitions.
Stellan Skarsgård didn’t mince words when asked about Donald Trump’s controversial bid to purchase Greenland. The Swedish actor, fresh off winning Best Actor at the European Film awards in Berlin on Saturday night, called the former president’s actions “absurd.” What exactly is driving Trump’s interest in Greenland? Skarsgård believes it’s a pattern of opportunistic behavior, linking it to the U.S.’s involvement in Venezuela and a desire to exploit greenland’s mineral resources.
A ‘criminal’ Pursuit of Resources?
“It’s a little man who got megalomania, and he’s trying to take the resources of other people,” Skarsgård stated. “it’s criminal,really.” He further criticized Trump’s threat to impose 25% trade tariffs on European nations if a deal to acquire Greenland isn’t reached, calling it “blackmail.”
Skarsgård’s comments were echoed by several European leaders, who have denounced the tariff threats as “unacceptable” and a dangerous escalation of trade tensions.the European Union is reportedly preparing a coordinated response, possibly including retaliatory tariffs.
The situation is further complicated by Greenland’s own history and its relationship with Denmark and Norway. Mark and Norway share a long history with Greenland, dating back over 1,000 years, with settlers from both nations establishing communities in the territory when the two countries were united under the same crown until 1814. Denmark retained ownership in 1814 and formally integrated Greenland into the Danish state in 1953. While Denmark’s colonial legacy is acknowledged, it has taken steps toward reconciliation, granting Greenland autonomy through the Self-Government Act in 2008.
Currently, there is widespread opposition to a potential U.S. acquisition among the Greenlandic population, with protests taking place in both Greenland and Denmark on Saturday.
A Measured Response from Joachim Trier
Joachim Trier, the Norwegian director of Sentimental Value, offered a more nuanced outlook. “Sitting in Europe today, I think that what we’ve learned from history is that the idea of appropriation of other countries and the idea of colonization is something that we suffer through guilt for in Europe, in the sense that we are trying to move forward from that idiotic idea,” he said.
“Denmark has come a long way in apologizing and trying to make good for their appropriation of Greenland in the past,and Greenland is for people from Greenland. So, this idea of reappropriating it for another culture… I agree with Stellan that it’s an absurd notion, and international law must be respected, because grinding that down will have such tremendous domino effects,” Trier concluded.
Broader European concerns
Saturday night’s European Film Awards ceremony took place against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, including Trump’s economic and military posturing and the ongoing russian-Ukraine War. Concerns are also growing about the potential impact of rising right-wing politics and nationalism on funding for arts and culture.
Earlier in the evening, Trier used his Best Director acceptance speech to emphasize the unifying power of cinema, stating, “I think we’re at a core moment when we all have to take into account that the other is not our enemy, and that art can definitely help us, at best, create empathy in the darkness.”
Norwegian acting icon Liv Ullmann also used her lifetime Achievement
