Trump’s Greenland Pivot: Domestic Politics Shape Foreign Policy

Vance says Minneapolis will be ‘less chaotic’ if local officials cooperate more with ICE

Vice President JD Vance conceded Thursday that federal law enforcement officers haven’t been perfect in their handling of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. But in a visit to the city, Vance’s main message was that the best way to reduce clashes around Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations would be for Democrats to cooperate with the Trump administration’s agenda.

“Look, I don’t need Tim Walz or Jacob Frey or anybody else to come out and say that they agree with JD Vance or Donald Trump on immigration,” Vance said, referring to the Democratic governor and mayor of Minneapolis. “I just don’t need that. What I do need them to do is empower their local officials to help our federal officials out in a way where this can be a little bit less chaotic and it can be a little bit more targeted.”

Vance spoke to the media after a roundtable discussion in Minneapolis with business leaders and law enforcement officials. Tensions peaked this month after a federal officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, 37, during a confrontation on Jan. 7. President Donald Trump, Vance and other administration officials have, without offering conclusive evidence, said that Good was connected to left-wing protesters and a threat to officers as they approached her car and she began to drive.

Earlier Thursday, at an event in Toledo, Ohio, Vance also conveyed his message that the Trump administration needs more cooperation from Democrats in Minnesota if people want fewer confrontations. Responding to a question from NBC News, Vance agreed with recent comments by Trump that ICE officers will “make some mistakes sometimes.”

The domestic politics of Trump’s Greenland climb-down

President Donald Trump left the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday afternoon without having acquired Greenland. Instead, he now has what he called a “framework for a future deal” that will allow America “total access” to the massive island — which, for the purposes of national defense, the U.S. already has. The technical term for such a conceptual agreement is “fig leaf.”

Trump dropped his threat to invade Greenland and likewise retracted his promise to impose tariffs on European countries that supported Denmark’s right to keep its property. For all the commotion, it appears that nothing really changed — except, perhaps, Trump’s priorities.

More than anyone, he helped himself by abandoning his pursuit of Greenland. Imagine the president asking Congress for $700 billion — equivalent to about $2,000 per person in the U.S. — to buy an island some lawmakers couldn’t find on a map. Or, worse yet for him, Congress agreeing to open up the nation’s coffers. Even some in MAGA world weren’t thrilled with the idea of the president launching a second foreign takeover bid within a couple of months.

Tariffs, markets and political risk

On tariffs, Trump’s threat to punish mutual allies for defending Denmark, predictably, met with negative responses from European leaders — and, more important for Trump, markets. Bond yields spiked and the major stock market indexes fell, signaling potential chaos if a trade war between the U.S. and Europe heated up. Robust stock markets are one of the key measures Trump has used to combat the perception that he presides over a troubled economy. Any significant or prolonged downturn could further harm Republicans’ standing with voters headed into the midterms.

Tariffs that would raise prices for American consumers would hurt his argument that he’s delivering affordability — a risk he realized by stepping back from Greenland. This turn underscores how domestic economic anxieties shape foreign policy decisions and political risk for incumbents.

Implications for the 2026 midterms

The new tariffs would have raised prices for American consumers at a time when Trump is trying to demonstrate that he is making life more affordable for voters. It’s those voters — and their concerns about the economy — that Trump will need to focus on from now until November. Perhaps his decision to walk away from Greenland is a sign that he understands that. His staff certainly does.

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Today’s other top stories include updates on immigration policy, health care costs, and political developments in New York and beyond. Citizens are encouraged to review NBC News’ in-depth coverage for broader context and additional analysis.