How an 'informal' group chat unites European leaders whenever Trump goes 'wild'

(L-R) Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukraine's Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, France's Macron, Italian PM Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House (AFP)

• European leaders use a group chat to coordinate responses to Trump's actions
• Trump's Greenland takeover push and tariffs spark alarm among European officials
• EU debates stronger military coordination amid eroding trust in US

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With US President Donald Trump keeping much of the world — including key allies in Europe — on edge, several global leaders have begun coordinating their response through an informal group chat.

According to a report in the Politico, European leaders have been regularly texting each other, usually in the same group chat, whenever Trump does "something wild and potentially damaging."

The report said that British PM Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's Alexander Stubb and Georgia Meloni of Italy are part of the intimate European circle who regularly text each other in the group chat.

The chat group, known as "Washington Group" and described by officials as informal but highly active, has become a key tool for coordination as trust in Washington has eroded.

One official revealed to Politico that the rapid exchange of messages reflects how personal relationships among European leaders have grown more important amid growing uncertainty over US foreign policy.

The urgency has intensified after Trump threatened punitive tariffs on countries opposing his push to take over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

For many European governments, the Greenland episode marked a turning point, sharpening fears that Trump’s America is no longer a reliable ally.

Last week, Trump announced that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would be subject to a 10 percent tariff due to their opposition to America's Greenland takeover. He further threatened 25% duties from June.

In private, European officials have reacted with alarm to Trump’s stated interest in annexing Greenland, calling the move reckless and unprecedented.

Diplomats say the threat is being viewed not just as rhetorical bluster but as a direct challenge to European sovereignty and solidarity, the report said.

It further said that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also part of the group chat, making the informal space more intriguing due to the ongoing war in the region.

Moreover, national security advisers from more than 30 countries are also in regular contact, both formally and through encrypted messaging, according to people familiar with the process.

European leaders have also taken a more hands-on role, communicating directly with each other and with Zelenskyy.

The Greenland crisis has further fuelled debate in Europe about reducing dependence on US for defence. Discussions in Brussels have picked up pace around proposals for stronger European military coordination, including long-term plans for the EU to be capable of defending itself by the end of the decade.

European leaders are expected to discuss these issues at an emergency summit in the coming days, with Greenland, NATO and trade tensions all on the agenda.