Text messages between Donald Trump, Jonas Stoll, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Rutte

A series of text messages between Donald Trump and European leaders about Greenland’s ownership have caused a stir after they were released.

The US president promised to tell European leaders at this week’s forum in Davos, Switzerland, that “we have to have” Greenland.

Diplomacy has traditionally been seen as synonymous with caution, and much of it remains behind closed doors.

However, the latest disclosure falls into a different category.

Here’s the full message and what experts tell the BBC people should read:

Published by Støre’s office following a Freedom of Information request from the BBC on 18 January at 15:48 (14:48 GMT)

sturgeon:

Dear Mr. President, Dear Donald, regarding engagement across the Atlantic – Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine – and the tariffs you announced yesterday.

You know where we stand on these issues. But we believe we should all work to calm the situation and de-escalate – there’s a lot going on around us and we need to come together.

We recommend speaking with you later today – either as a couple or individually – let us know what you prefer! Best – Alex (on behalf of Finnish President Alexander Stubb) and Jonas

Trump’s response, 16:15, 18 January (15:15 GMT):

Dear Jonas: In light of your country’s decision not to award me the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing 8 wars, I no longer feel obligated to think purely about peace, although it will always be the dominant one, but now to consider what is good and appropriate for the United States of America.

Denmark cannot protect this land from Russia or China, so why do they have “ownership”?

There is no written record, except that ships landed there hundreds of years ago, but we also have ships landing there. I have done more for NATO than anyone else since its founding, and now it is time for NATO to do something for the United States.

The world is not safe unless we take full control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT

Former NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu told the BBC that this was evidence that “diplomatic norms have been changing for some time, and not just under President Trump”.

“It’s quite unusual for private messages between leaders to be made public, but it’s part of President Trump’s tendency to engage in public diplomacy. You could say it’s the ultimate bullhorn diplomacy.”

Mark Weller, a professor at the University of Cambridge who has advised governments and international organizations, agrees.

“Communications between high levels of government are often carefully planned. This avoids misunderstandings and surprises when responses to important issues are made without sufficient thought,” Weiler said.

“That’s not a problem for President Trump, who thrives on undermining expectations.”

But he noted that it was “unusual for calm Norwegians to retaliate in kind – clearly there was a sense of having to retaliate in kind, as well as personal frustration at the loss of all forms of diplomacy”.

Trump posted on Truth Social, 19 January 17:01 (12:01 GMT):

From President Macron to President Trump

my friend,

We are completely united on Syria

We can do great things with Iran

I don’t understand what you are doing in Greenland

Let’s try to create something great:

1) I can schedule a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday afternoon after Davos. I can invite Ukrainians, Danes, Syrians and Russians on the edge

2) Let’s have dinner together in Paris on Thursday before you go back to the U.S.

Immanuel

Former French diplomat Francis-Joseph Chichan said the exposure of Macron’s text could be “embarrassing” to the president because certain parts were “coming to light.”

“At the beginning of the text, Macron explicitly admitted something that he has not admitted in public, which is that he does not understand Trump’s behavior toward Greenland,” Hikan said.

“I think it’s harmful because you don’t want to be exposed like that, so it’s embarrassing.”

However, Hikan noted that Macron’s invitation to Trump to attend a meeting of the Group of Seven (most industrialized countries) “is not embarrassing, it’s exactly what he needs to do.”

The text messages further suggested that “Macron is trying to engage in classic diplomacy,” warning that “it won’t work for Trump because he puts it on the Truth Society and the plan fails.”

“That’s another factor in why global diplomacy is collapsing. You used to be able to have a one-on-one conversation privately, but now you don’t know if it’s going to show up on social media.”

Trump posted on Truth Social, 20 January, 01:53 (06:53 GMT):

Mr. President, dear Donald, what you accomplished today in Syria is incredible. I will use my media activities in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine.

I am committed to finding a way forward for Greenland. Can’t wait to meet you.

Yours, Mark

Like Macron, the revelation of Rutte’s private messages to Trump was “unusual,” said Longescu, Nato’s longest-serving spokesman and now a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defense think tank.

Longescu said Rutte’s message was “consistent with what he has said publicly and privately” while other leaders “may appear tougher in public and more conciliatory in private”.

“So there’s a lot of risk that what’s private is no longer private,” she said, adding that “if people try to appear powerful on social media, that risks leading to more escalation rather than working behind the scenes to find win-win solutions.”

“The diplomatic space will be focused on more phone calls and more face-to-face contact. In this case, that may take us back to traditional diplomacy,” Lungescu said.

Mark Weller, director of the international law program at the Chatham House think tank and a former senior UN mediation expert, warned that “the tendency to publish immediately does make any serious, confidential crisis diplomacy impossible when the actual situation requires rapid and confidential action and dialogue”.