U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed that he will “100%” carry out his threat to impose tariffs on European nations that oppose his pressure on Denmark over Greenland. Trump told NBC News that he would move forward with punitive tariffs on countries, including Denmark, the UK, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands, if they do not support U.S. objectives regarding the Arctic territory
Trump’s proposed tariffs would begin at 10% on February 1, and rise to 25% from June 1 if no deal is reached for Greenland to be ceded to the United States—an ambition that has been met with firm rejection by Denmark and Greenland’s government.
Trump has also used sharp rhetoric, suggesting that Europe should focus more on security challenges such as the war in Ukraine rather than Greenland. When pressed on whether he would use military force to secure control of the island, Trump refused to rule it out, responding
European leaders have responded strongly to Trump’s threat, declaring that sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. Eight affected NATO members issued a joint statement warning that tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a “dangerous downward spiral.”
The EU’s top foreign policy officials have vowed to protect European interests and uphold international law, pushing back against what they characterize as coercive tactics. The bloc’s leadership has stressed solidarity with Denmark and Greenland, and while preferring diplomacy over escalation, they are ready to defend themselves using economic tools if necessary.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said the union does not want to pick a fight but will “hold its ground,” underscoring that sovereignty “is not for trade.”
An emergency summit of EU leaders is scheduled in Brussels to coordinate responses, and EU trade officials have reiterated plans to use both suspended retaliatory tariffs and the bloc’s anti-coercion mechanisms to protect European economies.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the tariff threats as “completely wrong,” urging that such matters should be resolved through discussion among allies rather than economic force.
Other EU leaders have openly warned that Trump’s rhetoric threatens to create a rift in NATO and beyond.
Denmark has reiterated its refusal to entertain any sale of Greenland, warning that any attempt to coerce the decision could undermine the NATO alliance itself.
The situation over Greenland has rapidly evolved from a geopolitical curiosity into a major flashpoint in U.S.–European relations, testing the strength of alliances built over decades and raising concerns about the future stability of transatlantic economic and security cooperation.
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