Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is speaking out on President Trump's threats against Greenland, warning that a hostile military takeover could end NATO and the world order. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Copenhagen

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister of Denmark and ex-NATO secretary general, has publicly stated that Greenland is not for sale, responding to US interest in the territory. Rasmussen described President Trump's pursuit of Greenland as a betrayal of the long-standing alliance between the United States and Denmark, and warned that any attempt to acquire Greenland by force would end NATO and disrupt the current world order.

Rasmussen also noted that Greenlanders do not wish to become Americans and emphasized the severe consequences for European security if the US were to leave NATO. He urged the US to engage in constructive negotiations regarding Arctic security and called for Europe to diversify its alliances away from reliance on the United States.

Former Denmark prime minister warns Greenland is not for sale

As Europe prepares for President Trump's address in Davos, let's discuss reaction with CBS News foreign correspondent Remy Innocencio. Good morning, Remy. As we mentioned, you've been speaking to Andres Fogh Rasmussen, the former prime minister of Denmark. Viewers may also recognize him as NATO's former secretary general. Considering the threat to NATO, what does he make of Mr. Trump's pursuit of Greenland? Absolutely. And Andres Fogh Rasmussen was, well, he just didn't hold back on any punches, Errol. For Denmark, he told me it is a betrayal by the United States after being allies for 250 years. And then for NATO, from his role there, looking at the world, he said it is a catastrophe to see this current world order, forged after the Second World War, now breaking apart because of Donald Trump. It's a painful process. Since childhood, I have admired the United States. As prime minister and secretary general of NATO, I work closely with American presidents. I've always considered the US a natural leader of the free world. But now everything has changed, so it's really painful. And Greenland's prime minister, Jens Fredrik Nielsen, just warned his people, 57,000 or so Greenlanders, so many of them we've seen protesting, to prep for a possible US invasion. Is this being overly dramatic or perhaps scarily realistic? I think it's timely to show the United States what is a fact, namely the Greenlanders do not want to become Americans. Greenland is not for sale. So the only possibility for the US would be a hostile military action against Greenland, which would mark the end of NATO, the end of the world order as we know it. And the only winners would be Putin and Xi Jinping. If the US broke off from NATO, how strong would that security alliance then be militarily? It would be a significant weakening of NATO. But I think a more probable development would be that the Europeans would consider establishing what I would call a European NATO to protect Europe against any attack. However, the speed, the efficiency, the power would be severely reduced. Greenland now serves as what I would call a weapon of mass destruction. Not destruction, but mass destruction. Because the discussion on Greenland distracts attention from the real security challenges. If President Trump does end up using military force to take Greenland, as former prime minister, should the Danish armed forces even reply? Would they reply? Danish troops must defend Danish territory, including in Greenland. Obviously, we would be faced with an overwhelming power from the United States. But for many Danes, it would be incomprehensible to see a fight against Danish troops and American troops. We used to fight together in Iraq, in Afghanistan. And in fact, compared to the size of Denmark, we suffered more losses in Afghanistan than the United States. And I have a plea to the American Congress and the American people. Now time has come to convince President Trump that he must engage in a more constructive negotiation on how to accommodate his legitimate concerns about security in the Arctic. And I want to point out that Anders Fogh Rasmussen was Denmark's prime minister during 9-11. He led, he pulled Denmark to the US's side. He said it made sense at the time, but also says that if he had known then what he knows right now, he would have diversified relations. He said that Europe now has to do that away from the United States, Errol, and to do it fast. Remarkable that he said this was painful for him. Really interesting insight there, Ramy. Thank you very much.

President Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, addressing European allies as tensions rise over his Greenland demands. Mr. Trump demanded immediate negotiations to acquire the territory and claimed he wouldn't use force. Ed O'Keefe reports.

Davos

Trump vows he 'won't use force' to acquire Greenland

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, the US president described the self-governing Danish territory as a “piece of ice” that is “part of North America.”

Trump vows not to use force to acquire Greenland

Steve Witkoff says he and Jared Kushner will holds talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday.

Moscow

U.S. special envoy to discuss peace in Ukraine with Russian president

Brooklyn Beckham, the oldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, accused his parents in a social media statement of trying to undermine his marriage and of valuing "public promotion" over family. David Beckham acknowledged the allegations and responded, saying, "they make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes." Adriana Diaz has more.

David Beckham responds as son accuses parents of prioritising image

Authorities dismantled 24 industrial-scale labs and seized around 1,000 tonnes of chemicals used to make street drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and meth.

Brussels

Europe police seize 1,000 tonnes of chemicals in record drugs bust

Stocks plunged on the first day of trading after President Trump threatened tariffs against European nations that oppose his bid to acquire Greenland. Lauren Hirsch, a New York Times reporter, joins CBS News with more.

Washington

Stocks plunge as global concerns about Trump tariffs over Greenland grows

Prince Harry is testifying in London in a case against a British tabloid for news coverage he says went too far. Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and several other high-profile people have joined the prince in his civil suit for violations of privacy.

London

Prince Harry testifies in latest lawsuit against British tabloid

President Trump's Greenland demands have already had a negative impact on the economy in the U.S. On Tuesday, all three major U.S. stock indexes dropped over the threat of new tariffs. CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger explains what to know.

U.S. stocks sink amid Trump's new tariff threats

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will join US President Trump's so-called 'board of peace' for Gaza.

Jerusalem

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu joins Trump’s ‘board of peace’ for Gaza

South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was indicted for failing to prevent and abetting Yoon's martial law declaration.

Seoul

Ex-South Korean PM Han Duck-soo found guilty of action of insurrection

The man who admitted to killing Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 is sentenced to life in prison.

Tokyo

Man who killed Japan's former PM sentenced to life in prison

Bobi Wine, who is currently in hiding, has alleged widespread fraud during the vote that saw incumbent President Yoweri Museveni win a seventh term in office.

Kampala

Uganda's military chief gives opposition leader 48 hours to surrender

A Barcelona commuter train crashed after a retaining wall fell onto the tracks, killing at least one person and injuring 37 others. The crash in Catalonia came just two days after a separate deadly train collision killed at least 42 people in the country's south and injured dozens more.

Barcelona

One killed in Barcelona train crash, days after Adamuz collision

Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, Israel has sought to ban UNRWA over alleged ties to Hamas, claims the UN denies. DW visited the site as Israeli forces bulldozed the UN agency's compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

Middle East Conflict

Israel demolishes UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem

Global stocks fell after U.S. President Donald Trump made new threats to take Greenland by force during a long press conference. Asked how far he’d go, Trump replied, ‘You’ll find out.’ The threats came just hours after he shared an AI-generated image of both Canada and Greenland covered in the U.S. flag.

Greenland Stand-Off

Markets plunge, allies rattled after Trump's new Greenland threats

The Syrian government has announced a four-day ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, following renewed fighting in the north. The SDF says it will abide by the truce. The government says the ceasefire will give time for the SDF to find ways to integrate the northeastern province of Hasakah.

Damascus

Four day ceasefire announced in Syria, Hasakah future to be discussed

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said the European Union should not bend to 'the law of the strongest.' He told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that it was staggering that the EU was having to contemplate using its 'anti-coercion instrument' against the U.S. (Macron is wearing dark glasses because of an eye condition.)

Paris

France's Macron says EU shouldn't bend to 'law of the strongest'

France's Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump have long exchanged firm handshakes, but their relationship is showing cracks. In a striking break from diplomatic norms, Trump publicly shared what he called a private message from Macron – proposing a G7 meeting in Paris and discussing Syria, Iran, and Greenland.

Trump publishes Macron's message, threatens French wine tariffs

The death toll from Sunday's high-speed train collision in Spain has risen to 41 as recovery crews use cranes to lift up the train cars and look for victims underneath. Chris Livesay reports on the search for a cause of the crash.

Adamuz

Investigators search for cause of deadly Spain train crash

Valentino, the renowned Italian fashion designer who proudly boasted he "knows what women want" has died in Rome. His sumptuous creations saw him crowned the king of the red carpet for major celebrities needing to be dressed to impress.

Rome

Valentino, 'The Last Emperor' of Italian fashion dies aged 93

The "Board of Peace" was an idea initially proposed by Trump last September as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza, although the initiative now seems to be aimed at mediating global conflicts more broadly.

Global Tariffs

Trump threatens 200% tariffs on French wine over ‘Board of Peace’

People who joined antigovernment protests in Iran are given a three-day deadline to turn themselves in and face a more lenient sentence.

Tehran

Iran police give protesters three days to surrender for leniency

Some 3,000 federal agents are still in the Twin Cities area as President Trump is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act over continued protests against immigration operations there. Ian Lee reports.

Minnesota

ICE operations, protests continue in Twin Cities as Trump threatens

President Trump continued his push for the U.S. to take over Greenland, telling the prime minister of Norway his perceived snub for the Nobel Peace Prize meant he no longer feels obligated to "think only of peace." The prize is awarded by the private Nobel Institute, not the Norwegian government. Ed O'Keefe has more, and then Holly Williams joins with analysis.

Trump ties Greenland threat to perceived Nobel Peace Prize snub

Valentino Garavani, founder and namesake of the luxury fashion empire Valentino, has died at 93. Garavani was known for a trademarked shade of red, a staple at his fashion shows for nearly half a century.

Iconic fashion designer Valentino Garavani dead at 93

Experts studying the cause of the derailment of a high-speed train in Spain - which killed dozens of people - found a broken joint on the rails, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Investigators find broken joint on track at Spanish rail crash site

Prince Harry is back in a London court, along with a slew of other high-profile figures, fighting the publisher of the Daily Mail over invasion of privacy and illegal information gathering tactics.

Prince Harry back in London court fighting British tabloids

U.S. President Donald Trump has told Norway's prime minister in a letter that he no longer feels obligated "to think purely of Peace" because he had not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and he repeated his demand for control of Greenland.

Trump tells Norway he no longer feels obligated to think only of peace

Billionaire wealth surged at three times ‍its recent pace ​last year to reach its highest level on record, deepening economic and political divides that threaten democratic ⁠stability, anti-poverty group Oxfam said.

World billionaire wealth hits new peak amid rising poverty, Oxfam says

A high-speed train collision that caused a derailment in southern Spain has killed at least 39 people, officials say. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash.

Breakdown