Donald Trump has been blasted for using language similar to that of the "gangsters" in Russia and China in his bid to seize Greenland. The outburst comes from a former head of NATO, who warned that if the US President were to successfully conquer Greenland, it could spark "the end of the world order as we know it".

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is also a former Danish Prime Minister, accused Mr Trump of using Greenland "as a weapon of mass distraction from the real threats", such as Russia’s war in Ukraine. He told the Financial Times the focus on Greenland risked diverting global attention away from the most pressing security crisis facing Europe, warning that Western unity was being weakened at a critical moment.

The former alliance chief argued that turning a long-standing ally into a target of public pressure and threats was unprecedented, and could have serious consequences for international stability.

Speaking about Mr Trump’s rhetoric, Mr Rasmussen said: "Now we see the United States use a language that’s pretty close to the gangsters that they should control in Moscow and Beijing."

He warned that the dispute risked playing directly into the hands of Russia, adding that any visible divisions within NATO would be welcomed in Moscow.

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