Fox News presenter Jesse Watters has publicly chastised European leaders for resisting former President Donald Trump's renewed ambitions to annex Greenland, pointedly asking why they won't "give daddy what he wants." The remarks, made on Wednesday 15th January 2026 during the broadcast of The Five, underscore the escalating transatlantic tensions over the issue.
A 'Daddy' Demand and NATO Disunity
Watters's commentary directly referenced NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's infamous description of Trump as "daddy" during a press conference the previous summer. The Fox host wondered aloud, "NATO called Trump 'daddy'. Why won't they give daddy what he wants?" This taps into a long-running trend within the MAGA movement of using the paternal moniker for Trump, a practice Watters himself has frequently encouraged.
The context is Trump's revived push to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, despite overwhelming public disapproval in the United States. Following his capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump has not ruled out using military force to seize the vast Arctic island. Analysts warn such an action by one NATO member against the territory of another could trigger the alliance's implosion. "It really is a deal breaker in the trans-Atlantic relationship," NATO analyst Steve Rynning told the New York Times.
Heated Exchange on 'The Five'
The panel discussion grew heated when Jessica Tarlov, the show's sole liberal co-host, countered Watters. She stated, "sometimes daddy needs to be told no." When Watters retorted, "By who?!", Tarlov pointed to Danish and Greenlandic leaders who have vowed to resist, warning NATO would disband if the US attacked.
"Whose side are you on?" Watters challenged. Tarlov insisted she was "on the side of America and also Greenland," criticising the Trump administration's "lack of respect" for a sovereign ally. She noted the deployment of a "pan-European fleet" to support Greenland, which Watters mockingly dismissed. "A European fleet! That's the funniest thing you've said all day," he guffawed. "What do they have, one aircraft carrier?"
MAGA's Greenland Obsession Grows
Watters is not an isolated voice. The push for Greenland has gained momentum in pro-Trump circles. Right-wing lawmakers have introduced bills to make it the 51st state, and administration officials have suggested no one could stop a US military takeover. Pro-Trump media has amplified the cause.
Conservative podcaster Tim Pool recently declared, "We should have Greenland," while others on his show made outlandish suggestions about its future. Fox News host Will Cain exclaimed last week, "If you fly a flag in the Western Hemisphere, that flag might soon be the stars and stripes." Watters himself argued last week that the US needs Greenland's oil resources "more than they do."
The "daddy" nickname, now a MAGA staple, was popularised after a controversial October 2024 speech by fired Fox host Tucker Carlson. The Trump campaign has even commercialised the term, selling "DADDY" t-shirts featuring Trump's mugshot. As European troops bolster Greenland's defences, the rhetorical and diplomatic clash over the territory's future continues to threaten the bedrock of the Western security alliance.
