The European Union has called an emergency meeting for Sunday evening after former US President Donald Trump threatened to impose punishing tariffs on key allies, including the United Kingdom, in an extraordinary attempt to pressure Denmark into selling Greenland to the United States.
Escalating Tariffs and Transatlantic Fury
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that a 10 per cent tariff on goods from eight European countries would take effect on 1 February 2026. The nations targeted are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland. He stated these levies would rise to a staggering 25 per cent on 1 June and remain in place until a deal is secured for Washington to purchase the vast Arctic territory.
The announcement has triggered immediate and fierce condemnation across Europe. The presidents of the European Commission and Council, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, issued a joint statement on X, warning that "tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral."
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labelled the proposed measures "completely wrong," vowing to raise the issue directly with the US administration. French President Emmanuel Macron was equally blunt, calling the threat "unacceptable" and asserting that "no intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland."
Widespread Condemnation and Domestic Opposition
The backlash is not confined to Europe. In the United States, Trump is facing significant opposition from Democrats and a rare public split from within his own Republican party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Democrats would introduce legislation to block the tariffs, which he called part of a "quixotic quest to takeover Greenland."
Several prominent Republican senators have also voiced strong criticism. Senator Mitch McConnell warned that military action against Greenland would be "an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm," while Senator Thom Tillis said the tariffs were "bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies."
Adding a powerful voice from within the Atlantic alliance, former NATO Secretary General and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen accused Trump of using "gangster"-style language reminiscent of Moscow and Beijing. He warned the Greenland threat was being used as "a weapon of mass distraction from the real threats" like the war in Ukraine.
Greenland's Defiant Response and Economic Warnings
The people at the centre of the geopolitical storm have made their position unequivocally clear. On Saturday, thousands of Greenlanders marched through snow and ice in the capital, Nuuk, carrying placards and chanting "Greenland is not for sale." The protest, which gathered almost a third of the city's population, was a powerful demonstration of support for self-determination.
As the political crisis deepens, major industries are sounding the alarm over the potential economic fallout. The German auto industry lobby (VDA) warned the cost of the tariffs would be "enormous" for European industry. President Hildegard Mueller called for a "smart, strategic response from Brussels."
The EU's emergency meeting of ambassadors from all 27 member states, convened by current presidency holder Cyprus, is scheduled for 5pm local time (4pm GMT) on Sunday 18 January. The session will formulate a collective response to what European leaders view as a profound threat to the rules-based international order and transatlantic unity.
