Poll shows more Europeans view Trump as 'enemy' rather than 'friend'

A new poll has found that in some of Europe's largest countries, more people see the US president as an "enemy" rather than a "friend" and ally of the Europeans.  

According to the survey by geopolitical journal Le Grand Continent published today, more Europeans viewed Donald Trump as the "enemy of Europe" following his threats of seizing the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory of Greenland by military force.

The poll suggests that Trump’s threats against Greenland have turned the Europeans against the United States.

Interviews with more than 7,000 people in seven European countries, namely, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Belgium (approximately 1,000 persons reflecting national populations in age, gender and social category in each country), interviewed online between January 13 and 19, found 51 percent saw Trump as an "enemy", 8 percent viewed him as a "friend", and some 39 percent considered him as "neither friend nor enemy."

However, the majority, 81 percent of Europeans, believed that Trump's seizing Greenland by military force would constitute “an act of war against Europe."

Also, some 63 percent of respondents said they were in favor of sending European troops to the island to defend it against a possible US invasion.

In particular, the people of Denmark were among those who considered Trump to be an "enemy" of Europe, with 58 percent of the interviewees saying so.

Forty-four percent of those who were interviewed said Trump "behaves like a dictator." Another forty-four percent said they think Trump has "authoritarian tendencies." Only ten percent of those who participated in the survey said Trump "respects democratic principles."

Also, 64 percent of respondents said US foreign policy is defined by “recolonization” and “predation.”

Denmark reasserts Greenland sovereignty as Trump claims ‘total access’

Denmark rejects US control of Greenland, insisting its sovereignty is non-negotiable.

In the meantime, European countries are struggling to cope with the threat posed by the once-close American ally that has now turned against them.

European leaders claim they would try to remain vigilant against any possible move made by the US president on the issue of Greenland's sovereignty.

Some European leaders have suggested that they would be in favor of using force against the United States, as they view Trump's behavior as predatory.

European leaders have agreed to deploy troops from the continent to defend Greenland against a possible US invasion.

While Trump softened his position, stating on Wednesday that he would not use force to take Greenland, he reminded European leaders who were showing reluctance to Greenland's handover to the United States that they were "not heading in the right direction."

Trump insists that the US needs Greenland over security concerns. The truth, his critics say, is that Trump aims to gain "total access" to Greenland's untapped mineral resources first, before others find a chance.

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