Playbook: “In a series of extraordinary late night statements, the president doubled down on his threats to take over Greenland — and Canada — while at turns mocking, threatening and humiliating the European leaders who have resisted his advances. This crisis feels like it’s spiraling out of control.”

“By 1 a.m., Trump was busily posting AI-generated images to illustrate his designs on Greenland — one showing him planting a U.S. flag on the island, a second of him showing a modified map of the Americas to European leaders in which the U.S. owns Greenland, Canada and Venezuela. Are we about to see the first empire built entirely by meme?”

Punchbowl News: “In his 348 days left in office — yes, he’s counting — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) could end up becoming the biggest headache for Senate GOP leaders and the White House.”

“The North Carolina Republican is the deciding vote on all four of his committees, having exercised that leverage a few times already since announcing last year that he won’t seek reelection, including most recently with Federal Reserve nominees.”

“During an hour-long interview over Danish smørrebrød, Tillis said President Donald Trump’s push to grab control of Greenland — and use tariffs to punish allies who oppose the effort — is likely to be his next target.”

“President Trump’s demands that Denmark hand over Greenland to the U.S. or risk a trade war and possible military action is confronting Europe with the unthinkable: Its major ally for more than 70 years has turned into one of its most urgent threats,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The collapse of trust in the U.S. over the past year among the European public and its leaders is forcing the continent to re-examine its reliance—from security to trade—on America under an unpredictable Trump administration that has expressed an antipathy toward Europe and is now insisting on taking an ally’s territory.”

Renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama reacted to President Donald Trump’s latest moves to acquire Greenland and urged Europe to “not back down” to Trump, arguing that he “really needs to be stopped,” Mediaite reports.

Said Fukuyama: “Up to now, both the EU and the major European powers have sought to appease Trump by offering him concessions, flattery, personal gifts, and other forms of tribute. This strategy has not worked and should be abandoned immediately.”

He added: “Donald Trump is fundamentally a bully who wants to dominate everyone around him. Trying to placate him with concessions is a fool’s errand. He despises weakness and those who display it.”

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said he is worried the crisis over Greenland will “suck out all the oxygen” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, sidelining Russia’s war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.

Said Stubb: “We are doing everything we can to avoid that.”