Donald Trump has 'gone full Marvel villain' over Greenland threats, Lord Michael Gove tells LBC
Lord Gove compared the US President to the infamous Superman villain Lex Luthor
Donald Trump has “gone full Lex Luthor” and is “determined to portray himself as some kind of Marvel villain” with his threats to take Greenland, former cabinet minister Lord Michael Gove has told LBC.
Listen to this article
Speaking to LBC’s Andrew Marr, Lord Gove compared the US President to the infamous Superman villain Lex Luthor and branded his recent letter to the Norwegian Prime Minister “juvenile.”
It comes after Trump refused to rule out using the US military in his plans to acquire Greenland.
Asked on Monday if he would use force to seize the country, the President replied: "No comment."
‘It’s like a villain drawing together his hench people to carve up the Levant.’
— LBC (@LBC) January 19, 2026
Michael Gove thinks Donald Trump has gone ‘full Lex Luther mode’. pic.twitter.com/677zQXMeoB
He gave the response during an interview with NBC News, and said he will "100%" hit European nations with tariffs if a deal cannot be made over Greenland.
“Well, it certainly seems to be the case that he's in full Lex Luthor mode,” Lord Gove told Andrew.
“I mean, he is. It almost seems as though he is determined to portray himself as a Marvel villain.”
Referring to Trump’s proposed Gaza Board of Peace, Lord Gove said it “did seem as though it were the archetypal villain drawing together his hench people to carve up the Levant.”
He added: “And then the letter that he sent to the Norwegian PM, if it had been sent to me by my son when he was 8, I would have regarded it as juvenile even then.”
Despite these criticisms, Lord Gove said we cannot truly know or understand Trump’s motive.
He said: “Now, it may be that the lunacy and the ego have now got to a level where they are unchecked.
“But I think it's probably wise for all of us just to wait to see. That doesn't mean one approves, it's. It just means one doesn't know exactly what his final game plan might be.”
It comes as Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre released a statement regarding his communications with the President.
He said: "I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump.
"It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland Alexander Stubb.
"In our message to Trump we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland and select other countries.
"We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day.
"The response from Trump came shortly after the message was sent. It was his decision to share his message with other NATO leaders.
"Norway’s position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter.
"We also support that NATO in a responsible way is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic.