US President Donald Trump may ‍decide on who the next chair of the country’s central bank – the Federal Reserve – will be as early as next ⁠week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says.

“My guess is that the president will reach a decision, maybe as soon as next week. ‌We’ve had ​substantial conversations about this,” Bessent said in an ‍interview with CNBC.

“We’ve run a process that started in September. Eleven very strong candidates. We’re now down to four counts. The president has personally met ​with all of them.”

Trump ‌has sharply criticised Jerome Powell, whose term as Fed chair ends ​in May, for not lowering interest rates ‍fast enough.

The leading four candidates for the role are Trump’s economic adviser Kevin Hassett, Fed ​governor ​Christopher Waller, former Fed ​governor Kevin Warsh and ​BlackRock’s chief bond investment manager Rick Rieder.

Powell, nominated by Trump in 2017, does not have to leave the Fed entirely after his leadership term ends in May, and he has not indicated what he ‍will do.

Midnight Oil’s founding member and drummer Rob Hirst has died at the age of 70 after a near three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

In a post to the band’s Facebook page, the Australian group said Hirst had died peacefully, “surrounded by loved ones”.

“After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain – ‘a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness’,” the band said.

“He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.”

Iconic Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes paid tribute to Hirst in a social media post, saying he had a “massive impact” on Australian culture.

“He was the engine driving one of the greatest live bands of all time,” Barnes wrote.

“RIP, dear Rob. You are irreplaceable, one of a kind, and myself, my family, and all the rest of this great country will miss you so much.”

Barnes’ Cold Chisel bandmates also passed on their condolences.

“Rob was an incredible drummer and songwriter — and a good friend to all of us in Cold Chisel. Vale Rob,” the band said.

Hirst’s role as one of the primary songwriters in the Oils was not always properly appreciated, with attention often gravitating towards the band’s commanding frontman, Peter Garrett.

Yet most of the band’s long list of hits bear Hirst’s songwriting signature: Beds Are Burning, The Dead Heart, Blue Sky Mine, Power and the Passion and too many more to mention.

The band finished up for good in 2022, signing off with a show lasting close to four hours at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, ploughing through a set list Hirst likened to the Dead Sea scrolls.

Six months later, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The prognosis was short: maybe another six months, if he was lucky.

Having turned 70 last year, Hirst outlasted those predictions.

“I’m two and a half years down the track since diagnosis,” he told AAP in November last year.

“I feel very fortunate that I’ve got to this point – and who knows, I might have a bit longer, which will be a bonus.”

In late 2025 Hirst released his EP, A Hundred Years or More, alongside his old songwriting partner, guitarist Jim Moginie, and distinguished drummer and percussionist Hamish Stuart.

“I always thought that if I kept fit, had a pretty good diet, got enough sleep and didn’t get pulled out by my ankles from (legendary Kings Cross dive) the Manzil Room too often, I would spend less time in hospital waiting rooms and more time enjoying life,” Hirst said.

“I don’t have much breath power, so I can’t play the big rock ‘n’ roll kit anymore but I can strum away and write songs and I’m lucky that I can still do that.”

Tighter firearms restrictions in response to the Bondi terror attack have been enshrined into law, but a gun buyback faces obstacles from states and territories.

Hastily written-up legislation enabling the gun buyback and strengthening background checks and firearms importation rules passed the Senate on Tuesday night with the support of the Greens.

As he introduced the bill earlier in the day, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the father-and-son gunmen of the December 14 attack had “hate in their hearts and guns in their hands”.

The measures would address the method of the massacre, as well as the motivation, Mr Burke said.

“A critical question I’ve often been asked during this debate is, if this national reform package had already been in place, how many firearms would the Bondi gunmen have held?,” he said.

“The answer is zero.”

Under the reforms, the father would have been ineligible because he was not an Australian citizen, he said.

“And the son who didn’t have a firearms licence, in any event, had he tried any intelligence holdings with respect to him, would have formed part of the licensing decisions,” Mr Burke said.

ASIO and ACIC intelligence assessments will be incorporated into gun licence background checks, while importation rules around high-rate-of-fire straight-pull rifles and shotguns will be tightened.

The changes closed long-standing and dangerous loopholes, gun control advocacy group the Alannah and Madeline Foundation said.  

But questions remained about how the gun buyback would be put into practice, Greens Senator David Shoebridge said.

“We’d like a commitment from the government that fair value will be paid to ensure that the guns buyback will be as effective as it possibly can,” he said.

Liberal-led governments in the Northern Territory and Tasmania have refused to accept sharing the costs of the buyback, which would incentivise gun owners to hand their firearms in for payment.

The Queensland LNP government has also refused to participate in the scheme.

The Western Australia Labor government, which has recovered more than 83,000 firearms through its buyback scheme, provided unsolicited advice for its NT and Queensland counterparts.

“There’s a constituency out there in the community who oppose this,” WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said.

“The vast majority of Western Australians believe this is the right thing to do. I believe the vast majority of Territorians and Queenslanders also have that view.”

Shadow attorney-general Andrew Wallace lashed the national buyback scheme. 

“The 1996 buyback (implemented by John Howard) was properly funded … this buyback calls on the states and territories to foot half the bill, irrespective of their capacity to pay,” Mr Wallace said.

The Liberals voted against the bill but the most fierce opposition came from the Nationals, who said the government was “demonising” law-abiding gun owners.

Nationals leader David Littleproud called the gun bill a “cheap political diversion” from religious extremism.

He said his party supported a national gun register and the provision enabling firearms background checks, but said the bill went too far. 

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, an avid shooter, was accompanied by several stacks of papers bearing the signatures of 65,000 people opposed to the gun laws as she slammed the “dirty deal” with the Greens to get them over the line.

But independent Helen Haines, who represents the regional Victorian seat of Indi, backed the reforms, saying they did not target farmers, sporting shooters or other law-abiding gun owners.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes to push French President Emmanuel Macron to join his Board ⁠of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.

When asked by a reporter about Macron saying he will not join the board, Trump said, “Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out ‌of office very ​soon.”

“I’ll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and ‍champagnes, and he’ll join, but he doesn’t have to join,” Trump said.

France intends to decline the invitation to join the initiative at this stage, a source close to Macron said.

Trump originally proposed establishing the ​Board of Peace when he announced in September his plan to end the war in Gaza. 

But an invitation sent to ​world leaders last week outlines a broad role ending conflicts globally.

A ‍draft charter sent to about 60 nations, including Australia, by the US administration calls for members to contribute $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in cash if they ​want ​their membership to last ​more than three years, according to the ​document seen by Reuters.

Governments reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the United Nations.

Trump also said he has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a member of the peace board. 

The Kremlin is now studying the details and will seek clarity on “all the nuances” in contacts with the US, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. 

Israel has been asked to join while Belarus, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Union’s executive arm are among the latest to receive invitations.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI accepted a spot on Monday, becoming the first Arab leader and at least the fifth world leader to join. Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Argentina also have signed on.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is ready to take part, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry. The Thai Foreign Ministry said it was invited and reviewing the details.

European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, would be speaking to other EU leaders about Gaza. 

Gill didn’t say whether its invitation had been accepted, but the commission wants “to contribute to a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict”.

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday dismissed the Board of Peace as a raw deal for Israel and called for its dissolution.

“It is time to explain to the president that his plan is bad for the State of Israel and to cancel it,” Smotrich said. 

“Gaza is ours, its future will affect our future more than anyone else’s. We will take responsibility for what happens there, impose military administration, and complete the mission.”

Netanyahu said later on Monday that while there are differences with the US about the composition of the advisory committee accompanying the next phase in Gaza, it would not harm his relationship with Trump.

“There will not be Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers in the (Gaza) Strip,” he said.

The US is expected to announce its official list of members in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

With AP

Hackers have disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the country’s exiled crown prince and urge security forces to not “point your weapons at the people”.

The online video screened early on Monday is the latest disruption to follow nationwide street protests across the country. 

The hacking comes as the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the death toll in the crackdown by authorities that smothered the demonstrations reached at least 4029 people.

There are fears the number will grow far higher as information leaks out of a country still gripped by the government’s decision to shut down the internet. 

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had his invitation to speak at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, withdrawn over the killings. 

“Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year,” the forum said.

Araghchi denounced the decision, saying the forum “cancelled my appearance in Davos on the basis of lies and political pressure from Israel and its US-based proxies and apologists”.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the United States and Iran over the crackdown after President Donald Trump drew two red lines for the Islamic Republic – the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations. 

A US aircraft carrier, which days earlier had been in the South China Sea, passed Singapore overnight to enter the Strait of Malacca – putting it on a route that could bring it to the Middle East. 

The footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi aired on Sunday night across multiple channels broadcast by satellite from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the country’s state broadcaster. 

The video aired two clips of the prince, then included footage of security forces and others in what appeared to be Iranian police uniforms. It claimed without offering evidence others had “laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people”.

“This is a message to the army and security forces,” one graphic read.

“Don’t point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran.” 

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a statement from the state broadcaster acknowledging that the signal in “some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source”. It did not discuss what had been aired. 

A statement from Pahlavi’s office acknowledged the disruption that showed the crown prince. It did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the hack. 

How much support Pahlavi has inside of Iran remains an open question, though there have been pro-shah cries at the demonstrations and at night since the crackdown. 

Valentino Garavani, the jet-set Italian designer whose glamorous gowns – often in his trademark shade of “Valentino red” – were fashion show staples for nearly half a century has died aged 93.

“Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision,” the foundation founded by Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti said in a statement. The foundation said he died at his Rome home on Monday.

Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. 

“I know what women want,” he once remarked. “They want to be beautiful.”

Though Italian-born and despite maintaining his atelier in Rome, he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris.

Alessandro Michele, the creative director of the Valentino fashion house, wrote in Instagram he continues to feel Valentino’s “gaze” as he works on the next collection.

Michele remembered Valentino as “a man who expanded the limits of the possible” and possessing “a rare delicacy, with a silent rigour and a limitless love for beauty”.

Another of Valentino’s successors, Pierpaolo Piccoli, placed a broken heart emoji under the announcement of his death. Former supermodel Cindy Crawford wrote that she was “heartbroken”, and called Valentino “a true master of his craft”.

Condolences also came in from the family of the late designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September and Donatella Versace, who posted two photos of Valentino, saying “he will forever be remembered for his art”.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni remembered Valentino as “an indisputable maestro of eternal style and elegance of Italian high fashion”.

Valentino made precious few fashion faux pas throughout his career, which stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. 

His fail-safe designs made Valentino the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers’ awards ceremony needs. 

His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue.

Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino – a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk – when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2004.

Valentino was also created the lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Kennedy and Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time US first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino.

He was also close to Diana, Princess of Wales, who often donned his glorious gowns.

Beyond his signature orange-tinged shade of red, other Valentino trademarks included bows, ruffles, lace and embroidery; in short, feminine, flirty embellishments that added to the dresses’ beauty.

Perpetually tanned and always impeccably dressed, Valentino shared the lifestyle of his jet-set patrons.

In addition to his 46-metre yacht and extensive art collection, the couturier owned a 17th-century chateau near Paris.

Valentino and his longtime partner Giammetti flitted among their homes – which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland – travelling with their pack of pugs. The pair regularly received A-list friends and patrons, including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.

“When I see somebody and unfortunately she’s relaxed and running around in jogging trousers and without any makeup … I feel very sorry,” the designer told RTL television in 2007. 

“For me, woman is like a beautiful, beautiful flower bouquet. She has always to be sensational, always to please, always to be perfect, always to please the husband, the lover, everybody. Because we are born to show ourselves always at our best.”

Valentino was born into a well-off family in the northern Italian town of Voghera on May 11, 1932. He said it was his childhood love of cinema that set him down the fashion path.

“I was crazy for silver screen, I was crazy for beauty, to see all those movie stars being sensation, well dressed, being always perfect,” he explained.

After studying fashion in Milan and Paris, he spent much of the 1950s working for established Paris-based designer Jean Desses and later Guy Laroche before striking out on his own. He founded the house of Valentino on Rome’s Via Condotti in 1959.

From the beginning, Giammetti was by his side, handling the business aspect while Valentino used his natural charm to build a client base among the world’s rich and fabulous.

After some early financial setbacks – Valentino’s tastes were always lavish, and the company spent with abandon – the brand took off.

Early fans included Italian screen sirens Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren, as well as Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Legendary American Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland also took the young designer under her wing.

Over the years, Valentino’s empire expanded as the designer added ready-to-wear, menswear and accessories lines to his stable. Valentino and Giammetti sold the label to an Italian holding company for an estimated $US300 million ($A447 million) in 1998. Valentino would remain in a design role for another decade.

In 2007, the couturier feted his 45th anniversary in fashion with a three-day-long blowout in Rome, capped with a grand ball in the Villa Borghese gallery.

Valentino retired in 2008 and was briefly replaced by fellow Italian Alessandra Facchinetti, who had stepped into Tom Ford’s shoes at Gucci before being sacked after two seasons.

A public viewing will be held at the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation on Wednesday and Thursday, and a funeral will be held Friday in the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome. 

Australia’s largest coal-fired power station will operate for nearly two years to support the national grid during the energy transition, its operator says.

Origin Energy on Tuesday said extending Eraring’s operation to 2029 would reduce risks to system security highlighted by grid operator AEMO in a recent report.

The decision provided more time for renewables, storage and transmission projects to be delivered, Origin chief executive Frank Calabria said in a statement to the ASX.

It also reflected uncertainty about the reliability of Australia’s ageing coal and gas fleet.

“We’ve taken the decision to extend Eraring’s operations after assessing a range of factors including the needs of our customers, market conditions and the important role the plant plays in the NSW energy system,” Mr Calabria said.

The 2880-megawatt plant – Australia’s largest by power output – sits on the banks of Lake Macquarie, south of Newcastle, and was initially slated to close in 2025.

But that was pushed out to August 2027 after the NSW Labor government struck a $450 million risk-sharing deal for the ageing coal-fired facility.

Under the deal, NSW would cover a percentage of losses up to $225 million per year if given advance notice by Origin.

NSW Labor has said allowing the power station to close on its 2025 schedule would have put enormous pressure on the grid, energy prices and households.

But positive market conditions have meant Origin has not needed to activate the security blanket, which is due to be torn up in August 2027.

Extending the life of Eraring is not expected to impact Origin’s 2030 emissions reduction targets, the company said.

Origin paid $75 million to take over the power station between Sydney and Newcastle when it was privatised in 2013.

The site is being converted to host a 700MW battery, which is expected to provide an average of 4.5 hours of storage capacity by mid-2027.

About half of the national electricity grid is powered by black coal-fired power stations like Eraring.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, fashion designer Donatella Versace and model Cindy Crawford are among the stars who have paid tribute to the Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani who has died aged 93.

Known universally by his first name, Valentino died on Monday at his residence in Rome surrounded by his loved ones, according to a joint statement shared on his and his foundation’s Instagram page.

Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino’s partner in business and life, posted his picture on Instagram captioned “forever”.

Valentino transformed high fashion after co-founding his eponymous luxury brand in the 60s alongside Giammetti and became known for his shade of “Valentino Red” as well as his signature use of bows, ruffles, and lace.

He went on to become synonymous with dressing high society with Diana, Princess of Wales, actress Elizabeth Taylor and former US first lady Jackie Kennedy among his clients.

Tributes have since poured in from leading figures from across industries, including fashion designer Donatella Versace.

“Today, we ‌lost a true maestro ​who will forever be remembered for his art. My thoughts go to Giancarlo (Giammetti) who never left his side for all these years. He will never be forgotten.”

Paltrow, who wore a Valentino gown for her wedding to Brad Falchuk in 2018 as well as a bright pink long-sleeved dress at the 2013 Met Gala said the news felt like the “end of an era”.

“I was so lucky to know and love Valentino – to know the real man, in private,” she said on Instagram.

“The man who was in love with beauty, his family, his muses, his friends. His dogs, his gardens, and a good Hollywood story.

“This feels like the end of an era. He will be deeply missed by me and all who loved him. Rest in peace, Vava.”

Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker also paid tribute to the designer, praising him and the legacy he leaves behind.

“For your extraordinary talent, your decadent generosity and your love of all things beautiful, we are all more fortunate for the grand gestures you shared with the world,” she said.

Model Cindy Crawford said in a post on Instagram that she was “heartbroken” and described Valentino as a “true master of his craft”.

“I will always be grateful for the years I had the privilege of working closely with him.”

The luxury brand also paid tribute to their co-founder in a post on Instagram, praising his “unique style and innate elegance”.

“We share with heartfelt sympathy the grief of his loved ones, and we remain committed to preserving and elevating the valued creative, cultural, and human heritage he entrusted to us, upon which Maison Valentino is founded,” the statement said.

“His life was a beacon in the ceaseless pursuit of beauty, and guided by that same beauty, we will continue to honour his memory with our deepest devotion.”

Throughout his illustrious career, Valentino dressed a number of high-status clients including the Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, along with fellow actresses Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren.

His dresses became red carpet favourites for Hollywood stars, with gowns worn by Sharon Stone, Anne Hathaway and notably Julia Roberts, who wore a black and white vintage Valentino gown to the 2001 Oscars where she won the best actress award for legal drama Erin Brockovich.

Cate Blanchett also wore a buttermilk yellow Valentino gown at the 2005 Oscars where she took home the best supporting actress award for her role in The Aviator.

Others who have also paid tribute to the fashion designer include models Coco Rocha who said “fashion lost another giant” and Carla Bruni who said it was an honour and a privilege knowing Valentino and modelling for him.

Meanwhile Euphoria actor and Valentino ambassador Colman Domingo thanked the designer for “inspiring so many to be beautiful” in a post on Instagram, with American fashion designer Zac Posen describing him as “truly one of a kind”.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the first to pay tribute to the couturier, describing him in a post on X as the “undisputed master of style and elegance” adding that he was the “eternal symbol of Italian high fashion”.

“Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything.”

Valentino’s work and influence on the fashion industry was recognised in 2006 when he received the Legion d’honneur, France’s highest honour.

The designer announced his retirement in 2007, two months after hosting a lavish three-day celebration in Rome to mark 45 years in the fashion industry which drew a huge celebrity turnout.

Valentino will lie in state at the foundation’s headquarters on Piazza Mignanelli on Wednesday and Thursday before a funeral service on Friday at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs in Rome’s Piazza della Repubblica.

with Reuters

Pressure remains on Australia to increase foreign aid, a year on from the United States’ catastrophic shake-up of development support.

Tuesday marks the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and an unravelling of foreign aid worldwide.

On day one of his second term, Mr Trump signed a stop-work order at the world’s biggest foreign aid agency – USAID – and froze its multibillion-dollar budget.

Much uncertainty, an Elon Musk review and many legal challenges later, USAID was disbanded and tens of billions sucked from the system, worsening the lives of many of the most in-need populations around the world.

An analysis in medical journal Lancet predicted the cuts killed hundreds of thousands of children under five in 2025, making it the first year this century child mortality has grown.

Other studies suggest four to six million deaths this decade.

Australian Council for International Development chief executive Matthew Maury says the changes have brought “a sharp deterioration in humanitarian and development outcomes globally”.

The staggering impacts in developing nations extend beyond grim mortality statistics.

Reproductive rights were hit by a withdrawal in support for contraceptives, while health outcomes worsened from the axing of programs to provide clean water or treat tuberculosis and other diseases.

A documentary, Rovina’s Choice, highlights the impact of USAID cuts on one South Sudanese mother attempting to keep a sick child alive.

Pacific nations are some of the least-hit, reflecting the US investment prior to the cuts.

However, the region has suffered the ripple effects of major international agencies weakened by mass layoffs, which must re-organise to counter funding shortfalls elsewhere.

The US move also led to other nations gutting their foreign aid budgets, as hard-up governments looked for funds to increase defence spending at America’s behest.

“Probably the most concerning to our sector was when we saw the UK announce aid cuts because they were a centre-left government who was pro-aid, and yet they made cuts,” Mr Maury told AAP.

It’s not clear how much aid has been sucked from the system as the US has introduced new funding streams, notably the “America First Global Health Strategy”.

These are bilateral deals agreed between the US and poorer nations, and nakedly political ones at that, with recipient countries asked to justify how spending might benefit America and American citizens.

“Let’s be frank, governments have always shaped their foreign policy and used their aid budgets with an eye towards national interests,” Mr Maury said.

“But there’s never been such a cold or calculating kind of formula to say, ‘how does this make American citizens’ life better?'”

Australia, notably, did not raid its foreign aid kitty last year.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong marginally lifted Australia’s spending on development assistance at last year’s budget, though not enough to keep pace with inflation.

As a share of gross national income, Australia spends 0.19 per cent on aid, ranking it 28th of 32 developed nations, ahead of just Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia and Hungary.

This is down markedly from a decade earlier, when Australia spent 0.31 per cent of gross national income, ranking it 13th among OECD nations.

Mr Maury said Australia should join Scandinavian nations which hit the UN goal of giving at least 0.7 per cent in aid.

“We are in a position where we can do more and it’s important for Australia to be seen as a trusted partner who’s going to continue to stand with the region,” he said.

“Ten of Australia’s 15 biggest trading partners were all aid recipients originally. All boats rise when you invest in the wellbeing of the region.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen says the Danish territory will not be pressured by US threats, including an announcement from the White House that it plans to impose tariffs on countries that have deployed troops to the island.

“Greenland is a democratic society with the right to make its own decisions,” Nielsen wrote on Facebook.

“The latest statements from the US, including threats of tariffs, do not change that line. We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law.”

Nielsen also expressed gratitude to the thousands of people who demonstrated in support of Greenland on Saturday in both Denmark and the Arctic territory.

“The demonstrations here at home and in Denmark have shown a strong and dignified unity. Many people have peacefully expressed love for our country and respect for our democracy. I am very grateful for that,” he said.

He further highlighted the importance of a meeting to be held on Monday in Brussels between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to Nielsen, the meeting shows that Denmark is assuming its “responsibility” and underlines that “dialogue on security in the Arctic takes place with us and with respect for our role and our country”.

US President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to impose tariffs on eight European countries that have announced the deployment of troops to Greenland.

Those countries are Germany, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom in addition to Denmark.

Trump added that the measures would remain in place until an agreement is reached for the “full and total purchase of Greenland” by the US.

On Monday, Danish broadcaster TV2 reported on the basis of Defence Ministry information that Denmark would send more combat troops to Greenland.

While the precise number was unknown, it was reported to be a “considerable contribution,” the broadcaster said. 

TV2 said the new troops would arrive at Kangerlussuaq, 300km to the north of the island’s capital at Nuuk on Monday. 

Army chief Major General Peter Boysen would accompany the deployment, the report said.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen called on Monday for NATO to do more in the Arctic, announcing that he and Motzfeldt aimed to discuss this with Rutte.

Lund Poulsen said in a statement that Denmark and Greenland had received “broad support” for the idea that “NATO should do more in the Arctic” after deciding along with certain allies to boost their military presence in the region. 

Motzfeldt added: “Greenland finds itself in an unusual situation that is attracting the attention of the entire world. The situation demands that we strengthen co-operation on defence and security issues in the Arctic within NATO.” 

The Norwegian government confirmed on Monday that Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had received a message from Trump about Greenland. 

The message read in part: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America”.

It concluded: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”

The Norwegian leader said Trump’s message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders.

He told TV2 Norway that he had not responded to the message but “I still believe it’s wise to talk,” and he hopes to talk with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump’s approach in Greenland in comments to reporters in Davos.

“I think it’s a complete canard that the president would be doing this because of the Nobel,” Bessent said.

Bessent insisted Trump “is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States,” adding that “we are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to anyone else”.

with Reuters, AP and EFE