'To all my friends in Europe, sorry': Ex-US ambassador after Trump's Greenland chaos
The former ambassador argued that any annexation of Greenland should not be treated as permanent. "Real estate deals can be undone," he wrote. "If Trump, God forbid, annexes Greenland, the next US president should give it back."
- Jan 21, 2026,
- Updated Jan 21, 2026 12:53 PM IST
Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, on Wednesday issued a public apology to Europe and delivered his strongest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's push to annex Greenland, calling the move illogical and embarrassing.
Reacting on Wednesday as tensions mounted between Washington and European allies, McFaul wrote: "To all my friends in Europe, sorry. We Americans should have done more to elect a leader in 2024 who understood the value of NATO and our ties with democratic Europe more generally. Hopefully, we can get through this crisis."
McFaul said Trump's actions had left him conflicted as an American. "As a proud American, I am both embarrassed and alarmed by Trump's completely illogical quest to annex Greenland," he said. "Embarrassment is bigger than alarm though. I thought we were better than this."
He added that he hoped the United States would recover from the episode. "Hopefully, in the future, we will be better — we will be normal — again," McFaul said.
The former ambassador also argued that any annexation should not be treated as permanent. "Real estate deals can be undone," he wrote. "If Trump, God forbid, annexes Greenland, the next US president should give it back."
In a separate post, McFaul rejected the argument that Trump's move was rooted in grand strategy. "Trump has no ‘strategy’ when it comes to Greenland. This is not a ‘geopolitical move.’ Stop looking for some master design here, folks. This is a pure vanity play," he said.
He also warned analysts against focusing only on supposed security gains without acknowledging the costs. "If we pick up Greenland and build a few bases there, we will loses bases in Europe— assets that were instrumental in us launching an attack on Iran. We will loses bases our 2 missile defense bases in Poland and Romania," he added.
Trump, however, has doubled down on his pursuit of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is both a member of the European Union and NATO. Speaking to News Nation, the US president said the takeover was essential to security. "It's in a location that is very important for our national security, and also for the International security of the world, literally," Trump said during the interview.
European governments have pushed back against Trump's rhetoric. On Monday, Germany's finance minister said: "We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed."
Behind the scenes, EU diplomats have indicated that the bloc is considering imposing €93 billion (£80 billion) worth of tariffs on US goods, or even restricting the access of American businesses — possibly including banks and high-tech companies — to the EU’s single market if Trump proceeds with what have become known as the "Greenland tariffs".
Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, on Wednesday issued a public apology to Europe and delivered his strongest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's push to annex Greenland, calling the move illogical and embarrassing.
Reacting on Wednesday as tensions mounted between Washington and European allies, McFaul wrote: "To all my friends in Europe, sorry. We Americans should have done more to elect a leader in 2024 who understood the value of NATO and our ties with democratic Europe more generally. Hopefully, we can get through this crisis."
McFaul said Trump's actions had left him conflicted as an American. "As a proud American, I am both embarrassed and alarmed by Trump's completely illogical quest to annex Greenland," he said. "Embarrassment is bigger than alarm though. I thought we were better than this."
He added that he hoped the United States would recover from the episode. "Hopefully, in the future, we will be better — we will be normal — again," McFaul said.
The former ambassador also argued that any annexation should not be treated as permanent. "Real estate deals can be undone," he wrote. "If Trump, God forbid, annexes Greenland, the next US president should give it back."
In a separate post, McFaul rejected the argument that Trump's move was rooted in grand strategy. "Trump has no ‘strategy’ when it comes to Greenland. This is not a ‘geopolitical move.’ Stop looking for some master design here, folks. This is a pure vanity play," he said.
He also warned analysts against focusing only on supposed security gains without acknowledging the costs. "If we pick up Greenland and build a few bases there, we will loses bases in Europe— assets that were instrumental in us launching an attack on Iran. We will loses bases our 2 missile defense bases in Poland and Romania," he added.
Trump, however, has doubled down on his pursuit of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is both a member of the European Union and NATO. Speaking to News Nation, the US president said the takeover was essential to security. "It's in a location that is very important for our national security, and also for the International security of the world, literally," Trump said during the interview.
European governments have pushed back against Trump's rhetoric. On Monday, Germany's finance minister said: "We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed."
Behind the scenes, EU diplomats have indicated that the bloc is considering imposing €93 billion (£80 billion) worth of tariffs on US goods, or even restricting the access of American businesses — possibly including banks and high-tech companies — to the EU’s single market if Trump proceeds with what have become known as the "Greenland tariffs".