Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on a host of European countries – including Denmark, Germany, France and the UK – until the United States is allowed to purchase Greenland, in an extraordinary escalation of his bid to claim the autonomous Danish territory.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Saturday, the US president said he would levy a 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland beginning 1 February “on any and all goods sent to the United States of America”. “This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” he wrote.
The president’s longstanding interest in acquiring Greenland “one way or the other” has become a fixation since the US raid that captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro earlier in January. While he has claimed the Arctic territory’s current status poses a national security threat to the US, this has been disputed by allies, including Denmark. In the Saturday post, Trump referred to forces from the eight European nations having “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”, an apparent reference to Nato allies deploying troops there on Thursday in response to his threats.
Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, responded on social media: “The President’s statement comes as a surprise. Earlier this week, we had a constructive meeting with Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio. The purpose of the increased military presence in Greenland, to which the President refers, is to enhance security in the Arctic.” Rasmus Jarlov, the conservative chair of Denmark’s defence committee, wrote: “Every insult, threat, tariff and lie that we receive strengthens our resolve. The answer from Denmark and Greenland is final: We will never hand over Greenland. We pray that our true allies will stand with us because we are going to need it.”
The threat united European leaders in unusually blunt language. EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said applying tariffs on allies for pursuing collective security was “completely wrong” and would be pursued directly with the US administration. French President Emmanuel Macron drew an implicit comparison with Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, saying: “No intimidation or threat will influence us – neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world.” Finland’s president, Sweden’s prime minister and Norway’s prime minister also voiced opposition, with Ulf Kristersson declaring: “We will not let ourselves be blackmailed.”
Germany’s leadership was more reserved, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz leaving it to his spokesperson to say the government “has taken note of” the statements and plans to coordinate with allies. However, a foreign policy spokesperson for the chancellor’s Christian Democratic party, Jürgen Hardt, had earlier suggested that Germany would respond appropriately.
