Stellan Skarsgård Slams Trump’s Greenland Push as ‘Outrageous Power Grab’
Stellan Skarsgård takes aim at Donald Trump’s controversial Greenland ambitions, raising alarms about global law and the ripple effects of unchecked power. The heated debate has drawn sharp reactions from Hollywood and European leaders alike.
At the European Film Awards in Berlin on January 17, Stellan Skarsgård didn’t hold back when asked about Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to acquire Greenland. The Swedish actor, whose homeland borders Denmark—the nation that governs Greenland—was quick to denounce the American president’s aggressive tactics and the broader implications for international relations.
That same day, Trump announced plans to slap a 25% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Finland if the United States failed to secure a deal for Greenland. The move, widely seen as economic blackmail, prompted the European Union to call an emergency meeting to address the escalating standoff. While Trump has repeatedly claimed his interest in Greenland is rooted in military strategy, critics argue the real motivation is access to the island’s untapped resources.
Hollywood and European Voices Unite
Skarsgård didn’t mince words when sharing his thoughts on the matter.
“It ’s absurd, isn’t it? It’s a little man who got megalomania, and he’s trying to take the world. He took Venezuela, suddenly, and that’s for [energy company] Chevron. He’ll take Greenland for minerals. He’s a criminal.”
Joachim Trier, director of Skarsgård’s film Sentimental Value and a Danish-Norwegian citizen, echoed the actor’s concerns.
“I agree with Stellan that it’s an absurd notion, and international law must be respected, because grinding that down will have such tremendous domino effects on how other superpowers will treat other countries, so the dominant effect of that is extremely worrying, if it is to happen.”
The controversy has also drawn fire from American celebrities. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards the previous weekend, both Mark Ruffalo and Judd Apatow voiced their disapproval of Trump’s foreign policy. Apatow, presenting the Best Director award, declared that the United States had become “a dictatorship now.” On the red carpet, Ruffalo wore a “Be Good” pin in memory of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis less than two weeks earlier. Ruffalo also pointed out that the country was “in the middle of a war with Venezuela,” which he said Trump had “illegally invaded.”
Mounting Criticism and Public Outcry
Ruffalo didn’t hold back in his assessment of the president’s actions.
“[He] is telling the world that international law doesn’t matter to him. The only thing that matters to him is his own morality. The guy is a convicted felon or a convicted rapist. He’s a pedophile. He’s the worst human being. If we’re relying on this guy’s morality for the most powerful country in the world, then we’re all in a lot of trouble.”
Over the past year, a growing list of public figures—including George Clooney, Jimmy Kimmel, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Jonathan Pryce of Slow Horses—have openly criticized the president’s approach to global affairs. The debate over Greenland has become a flashpoint, symbolizing broader concerns about unchecked authority and the erosion of international norms.