President Trump said Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will impose 10% tariffs on all products.
‘Tariff king’ Trump threatens to impose tariffs on Greenland
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries to pressure them into accepting the U.S. annexation of Greenland.
President Donald Trump announced tariffs on eight European countries on January 17, the latest pressure tactic for the US to buy Greenland.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will impose a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the United States starting February 1st, with the tariffs scheduled to increase to 25% on June 1st.
“These countries, playing this very dangerous game, are imposing a level of risk that is neither intolerable nor sustainable,” Trump said.
President Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is essential to U.S. security because of its strategic location and large mineral deposits. He has not ruled out the possibility of using force to occupy the Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
European countries recently sent military personnel to Greenland at the request of Danish authorities. European officials backed Denmark and warned that the Trump administration’s attempt to seize Greenland could be a game-changer. NATO is a 76-year-old alliance of member states founded for the joint defense of one another.
“The United States stands ready to enter into negotiations immediately with Denmark and with these countries that have so much at stake, despite all the steps we have taken over the decades, including the greatest protections,” Trump said.
On the same day as President Trump’s announcement, Danish citizens protested his threat to seize control of Greenland and the right of self-determination for its largely indigenous population.
According to Reuters, demonstrators held banners and signs that read “Keep Off Greenland” next to Greenland’s red-and-white flag and led chants such as “Greenland is not for sale.” The crowd gathered in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square and then marched toward the American Embassy.
The day before, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers traveled to Copenhagen to meet with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, said in an X post that the meeting reaffirmed “Congress’s commitment to one of our oldest and strongest NATO allies.”
“In an increasingly volatile world where adversaries collaborate, our alliances are more important than ever,” Coons said.
This is a developing story.
Contributed by: Reuters
