Swedish Actor Calls Trump's Greenland Push 'Criminal Megalomania'
Hollywood veteran unleashes scathing attack on president's territorial ambitions while European leaders scramble to address unprecedented trade threats and geopolitical chaos.
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård delivered a blistering takedown of President Donald Trump's Greenland acquisition efforts, branding the commander-in-chief a "criminal" with "megalomania" during the European Film Awards in Berlin.
The Marvel star didn't hold back when reporters cornered him about Trump's aggressive pursuit of the Danish territory. "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 Chevron. He'll take Greenland for minerals. He's a criminal," Skarsgård said.
Trade War Escalates
Trump announced crushing 25% tariffs on eight European nations including Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Finland unless they agree to hand over Greenland. The European Union called an emergency session to address what officials termed "blackmail."
Director Joachim Trier, who worked with Skarsgård on "Sentimental Value," echoed concerns about international law. "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," the Danish-Norwegian filmmaker explained.
Hollywood Pushback Grows
The criticism extends beyond European shores. Mark Ruffalo and Judd Apatow slammed Trump's territorial ambitions at the Golden Globe Awards. Apatow declared America "a dictatorship now" while presenting the Best Director award.
Ruffalo wore a "Be Good" pin honoring Renee Good, killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis two weeks earlier. He blasted Trump's "illegal invasion" of Venezuela and warned about abandoning international law. "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," Ruffalo said.
Celebrity Opposition Mounts
George Clooney, Jimmy Kimmel, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and "Slow Horses" star Jonathan Pryce have all publicly clashed with Trump over the past year.
Trump maintains his Greenland interest stems from military strategy, though critics point to untapped natural resources as the real motivation. The ice-covered territory sits atop vast mineral deposits that could reshape global supply chains.