President Trump imposes tariffs on 8 European countries over Greenland
President Donald Trump has vowed to impose a series of tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland, intensifying the spat over the future of Denmark’s vast Arctic island.
A group of America’s closest European allies took a firm stand on January 18 against President Donald Trump’s new campaign threat to seize control of Greenland.
Eight members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory, condemned the US president’s tariffs as “dangerous” to transatlantic relations. President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on January 17 that countries will impose a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the United States starting February 1.
President Trump said tariffs are scheduled to rise to 25% on June 1 unless the United States reaches a deal to buy Greenland from Denmark.
“The threat of tariffs threatens to undermine transatlantic relations and risks sending us into a dangerous downward spiral,” the two countries said in a joint statement. “We will continue to come together and respond in a coordinated manner. We are committed to protecting our sovereignty.”
Still, the group said it was “ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland signed the statement. Representatives of the group’s governments are scheduled to attend an emergency meeting of the European Union on January 18, as President Trump’s focus on the Arctic Islands has strained the 76-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance.
The president also criticized recent moves by other countries to send military personnel to Greenland at the request of Danish authorities, following growing calls from President Trump to take over the autonomous territory.
President Trump said the United States needs Greenland because its strategic location and vast mineral wealth make it strategically important and under threat from Russia and China. Denmark and many of its allies in NATO and the European Union reject this claim and reiterate their commitment to security in the Arctic region.
In a social media post, the president said the countries’ presence in Greenland was “a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of the planet” and that they were playing “a very dangerous game.”
A group of European countries appeared to respond to the claims in a statement.
“As NATO members, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a common transatlantic interest,” they said. “The Danish exercise ‘Arctic Endurance’, pre-coordinated with allies, responds to this need. It poses no threat to anyone.”
On the same day as President Trump’s announcement, people in Denmark rallied to protest the US president’s plan and support the right to self-determination for the majority indigenous people. Many European leaders also expressed outrage.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the text of the eight countries’ statement and defended pre-arranged military exercises with Denmark.
The leaders of France and Britain, America’s closest allies, also targeted President Trump’s tariff plans.
“It is completely wrong to apply tariffs to our NATO allies in pursuit of their collective security,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in the X-Post. “Of course, we will pursue this matter directly with the U.S. government.”
In a statement posted on social media hours after Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron called the latest round of tariffs “unacceptable” and said European countries would “response in a united and coordinated manner” if they were to be imposed.
“In the face of such a situation, no intimidation or threat will affect us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland or anywhere in the world,” Macron said.
Contributors: Eduardo Cuevas and Josh Meyer, USA TODAY.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
