Trump Threatens New Tariffs on European Allies Over Greenland Dispute

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

President Donald Trump said Saturday that his administration will impose a 10% import tax beginning in February on goods from eight European countries, citing their opposition to American control of Greenland and escalating a dispute that could strain some of Washington’s closest alliances.

In a social media post written while he was at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would be subject to the new tariff. He added that the rate would rise sharply to 25% on June 1 if there was no agreement in place for what he described as the “complete and total purchase of Greenland” by the United States.

The announcement made clear that Trump views the tariffs as leverage to force negotiations with Denmark and other European governments over the future of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark and a member of the NATO alliance. The president has repeatedly argued that the Arctic island is vital to U.S. national security because of its strategic location and mineral resources.

“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them,” Trump wrote, underscoring his willingness to use trade pressure to compel talks.

The tariff threat sets up a potentially serious rupture between the United States and its long-standing European partners, further testing NATO at a time when the alliance is already under pressure from Russia’s war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical tensions. Trump has frequently turned to tariffs as a negotiating weapon, using them against both allies and rivals to extract concessions, with mixed results.

The timing of the announcement adds to the diplomatic stakes. Trump is scheduled to travel Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he is likely to encounter leaders from the very countries now facing tariff penalties that could take effect in just weeks.

Denmark reacted with surprise. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the threats were unexpected given what he described as a constructive meeting earlier in the week with senior U.S. officials in Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump’s position was “completely wrong,” reiterating that Greenland is part of Denmark. French President Emmanuel Macron also pushed back forcefully, warning that intimidation and threats would not influence European countries and comparing the pressure tactics to other forms of geopolitical coercion. Macron said tariff threats were unacceptable and had no place in the dispute.

European officials also raised practical questions about how such tariffs could be implemented. Because the European Union functions as a single trading bloc, it is unclear how the United States could selectively target individual member states. There are also legal uncertainties under U.S. law, although Trump could attempt to invoke emergency economic powers that are currently being challenged in court.

Trump has long maintained that the United States should own Greenland, which has a population of about 57,000 and whose defense is overseen by Denmark. He intensified his public rhetoric earlier this month, arguing that American control of the island is essential for missile defense initiatives and to counter what he says are growing Russian and Chinese ambitions in the Arctic.

The president suggested that the tariff threat was, in part, retaliation for what he characterized as symbolic deployments of European troops to Greenland. He has claimed the island is critical to a proposed U.S. missile defense shield and has warned that rivals could seek to establish a foothold there.

Under a 1951 defense agreement, the United States already has military access to Greenland. Since the end of World War II, the American presence has been reduced dramatically, from thousands of troops across multiple bases to about 200 personnel stationed at the remote Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland. The base plays a key role in missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance for both the United States and NATO.

Resistance to Trump’s ambitions has been steadily building across Europe, even as some countries agreed last year to higher U.S. tariffs in order to preserve broader economic and security ties with Washington.

On Saturday, public opposition was visible on the streets. In Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, hundreds of people marched through near-freezing temperatures, rain and icy conditions to demonstrate in support of self-governance. In Copenhagen, thousands more rallied, many carrying Greenland’s flag and holding signs rejecting the idea that the island could be bought or sold.

“This is important for the whole world,” said Danish protester Elise Riechie, who held both Danish and Greenlandic flags. “There are many small countries. None of them are for sale.”

The demonstrations came just hours after a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers visiting Copenhagen sought to reassure Danish and Greenlandic officials of congressional support, even as Trump continued to press his case publicly.

Danish military leaders also moved to downplay fears of a confrontation. Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, who heads Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, said he does not expect the U.S. military to attack Greenland or any other NATO ally. He confirmed that European troops had recently arrived in Nuuk for Arctic defense training, emphasizing that the deployments were routine and not intended as a political signal.

“I would never expect a NATO country to attack another NATO country,” Andersen said, speaking aboard a Danish military vessel docked in Nuuk. He added that the focus was on cooperation and readiness, not messaging.

Denmark hosted a planning meeting in Greenland with NATO allies, including the United States, to discuss Arctic security and potential Russian threats. American forces were also invited to take part in upcoming Arctic exercises, according to Andersen.

Despite Trump’s claims of foreign military activity near Greenland, Andersen said he has not seen Chinese or Russian combat vessels or warships off the island during his more than two years in command. He noted, however, that Danish forces are obligated to defend their territory in the unlikely event of an attack, even by an ally.

Trump has insisted that anything short of U.S. ownership of Greenland would be unacceptable, arguing that tariffs offer a way to apply pressure without resorting to military force. Speaking at the White House on Friday, he recalled previous tariff threats against European allies and suggested similar measures could again be used to advance his goals.

The move has already drawn concern on Capitol Hill. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said Congress should reclaim authority over tariffs so they are not wielded solely at a president’s discretion. Denmark, for its part, announced this week that it would increase its military presence in Greenland in coordination with allies.

“There is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who was part of the congressional delegation in Copenhagen. He warned that actions undermining trust with close allies could have lasting consequences, not just for Denmark but for America’s standing with partners around the world.