Trump threatens Europe with Greenland tariffs

Jan 19, 2026, 07:52 am

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U.S. President Donald Trump posted a photo from the Oval Office on Truth Social on Jan. 16, with the words “The Tariff King” written over the image. / Trump Truth Social

U.S. President Donald Trump announced additional tariffs on eight European countries opposing Washington’s push to acquire Greenland, escalating what analysts describe as a full-scale geopolitical confrontation over the Arctic island.

On January 17, Trump said the United States would impose extra duties on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland—countries that recently sent troops to a Denmark-led joint military exercise in Greenland. The new measures will begin with an additional 10 percent tariff on February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1.

The move goes beyond trade retaliation, signaling what observers call Trump’s security doctrine of using economic pressure—even against allies—to secure strategic assets tied to artificial intelligence, rare earth minerals, and Arctic missile defense.

Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the tariffs would remain in place “until an agreement is reached on the complete and total purchase of Greenland.” He argued that the United States has effectively subsidized Denmark and the European Union for decades by refraining from tariffs and claimed that “the time has come for Denmark to pay,” warning that “world peace is at stake.”

The Wall Street Journal noted that Trump did not clarify whether the new tariffs would be added on top of existing duties, raising the possibility that they could nullify recent trade agreements between Washington and European partners.

European leaders responded with rare unity. French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that “tariff threats are unacceptable” and vowed a “united and coordinated” European response, stressing that intimidation would not sway Europe “whether in Ukraine, Greenland, or anywhere else.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “completely wrong” to penalize NATO allies for pursuing collective security, while the German government said it was consulting closely with European partners on a joint response. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that tariffs risk damaging transatlantic ties and triggering a “dangerous downward spiral.”

Protests have spread from Copenhagen to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, with demonstrators chanting slogans such as “Greenland is not for sale” and “America, go away,” according to Reuters. In Copenhagen, more than 20,000 people reportedly joined rallies mocking Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan with red hats reading “Make America Go Away.”

Behind the diplomatic clash lies Greenland’s growing strategic value. U.S. media including NBC News point to the AI boom, competition over rare earth supply chains, and the expansion of data centers and advanced semiconductors as key drivers. Greenland is home to some of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits and occupies a critical position for Arctic missile defense systems, including Trump’s proposed next-generation shield.

The World Economic Forum has warned that both AI and the energy transition are intensifying demand for critical minerals, turning supply bottlenecks into major strategic variables.

At the same time, analysts caution that resource potential does not guarantee rapid production. The Associated Press has noted that Greenland faces harsh climate conditions, limited infrastructure, environmental regulations, and high costs that complicate mining and transport.

Attention is now focused on whether the tariffs will be implemented cumulatively, how the European Union will translate its pledge of unity into concrete countermeasures, and whether Trump’s tariff strategy—currently under legal scrutiny in the U.S. Supreme Court—will deepen fractures within NATO.

#Donald Trump #Greenland #tariffs #Europe #Denmark