Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland

US President Donald Trump escalated a spat over the future of Denmark’s large Arctic island of Greenland on Saturday by vowing to impose a wave of rising tariffs on European allies until the United States is permitted to purchase it.
Trump stated in a post on Truth Social that items from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Great Britain—all previously subject to tariffs imposed by Trump—would be subject to additional 10% import duties starting on February 1.
According to Trump’s letter, those tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 and remain in effect until an agreement was struck for the United States to buy Greenland.
The president has said, time and time again that Greenland’s strategic location and abundant natural resources make it essential to U.S. security and he hasn’t ruled out using force to seize it. At Denmark’s request, European countries dispatched military soldiers to the island this week.
Trump wrote, “These Countries who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable”.
“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, including maximum protection, over so many decades,” he added.
The nations Trump listed on Saturday have supported Denmark, cautioning that the military takeover of a NATO territory by the United States might bring down Washington’s military alliance. Norway’s top diplomat reaffirmed support for Denmark following the U.S. president’s social media statement and stated that tariffs shouldn’t be discussed in relation to Greenland.
A statement from Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, “There is broad agreement within NATO on the need to strengthen security in the Arctic including in Greenland. We do not think the question of tariffs belongs in this context”.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has termed President Donald Trump’s threat to apply tariffs over Greenland as “completely wrong”.