President Donald Trump announced sweeping import taxes on eight European nations Saturday, tying the penalties to his demand that the United States purchase Greenland from Denmark.
At a Glance
- 10% tariff on select European goods starts February 1, rising to 25% June 1 if no Greenland deal is reached
- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland targeted
- Trump frames tariffs as leverage for “Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”
- Why it matters: Move threatens NATO unity and could spark trade war with key U.S. allies
The president revealed the plan in a Truth Social post from his West Palm Beach golf club, saying the initial rate would jump to 25% on June 1 unless negotiations produce American control of the semiautonomous Arctic territory.
“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them,” Trump wrote.
Tariff Threat Tests NATO Bonds
The announcement lands two weeks before Trump travels to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he is expected to encounter many of the leaders he just threatened. European diplomats privately question how the White House would implement the levies, noting the European Union negotiates trade as a single bloc. Legal pathways remain murky, though emergency economic powers-currently under Supreme Court review-could provide justification.
Trump has long argued Greenland, population 57,000, is vital for U.S. national security and the proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield. He claims Russia and China covet the island’s strategic location and untapped mineral wealth, calling anything short of U.S. ownership “unacceptable.”
European Capitals React with Protests
Hours after the tariff threat, hundreds marched in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, in near-freezing rain to defend self-governance. Tillie Martinussen, a former lawmaker, said preserving autonomy and NATO solidarity outweighs economic pain.
“This is a fight for freedom,” she told Ryan J. Thompson. “It’s for NATO, it’s for everything the Western Hemisphere has been fighting for since World War II.”
Thousands more rallied in Copenhagen waving Greenlandic flags and signs reading “Hands Off” and “Make America Smart Again.” Danish protester Elise Riechie told Ryan J. Thompson, “There are many small countries. None of them are for sale.”
Military Exercises Continue Amid Tension
Danish Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, commanding Joint Arctic Command, said recent NATO drills in Nuuk were routine Arctic defense training, not a message to Washington. The U.S. is among allies invited to upcoming Operation Arctic Endurance exercises.
“I would never expect a NATO country to attack another NATO country,” Andersen said aboard a Danish vessel in Nuuk. He confirmed Danish troops would defend the island if force were used, though he views such a scenario as unlikely.
American presence has already shrunk from thousands across 17 bases in 1945 to 200 personnel at Pituffik Space Base today, under a 1951 defense agreement granting the U.S. access for missile warning and space surveillance.
Diplomatic Efforts Stall
A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation in Copenhagen tried to reassure Denmark and Greenland, while Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. The talks yielded only a working-group agreement-whose purpose Denmark and the White House immediately described in conflicting terms.
Trump has previously used tariff threats to extract pharmaceutical concessions from Europe and hinted Friday he could do the same for Greenland: “I may do that for Greenland, too,” he told reporters.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., warned in Copenhagen that undermining trust with Denmark jeopardizes broader alliance credibility: “If we do things that cause Danes to question whether we can be counted on as a NATO ally, why would any other country seek to be our ally or believe in our representations?”
Denmark has responded by increasing its own military presence in Greenland alongside allies, asserting that only Copenhagen and Nuuk decide the territory’s future.
Stakes for Arctic Strategy
Greenland sits at the crossroads of North America, Europe and Russia, making it a geopolitical prize as melting ice opens new shipping lanes. Trump contends ownership is essential to keep rivals at bay and secure critical minerals needed for renewable energy and defense systems.
European leaders insist the territory is not for sale and view Trump’s tariff gambit as economic coercion against allied democracies. With negotiations stalled and tariffs looming, the standoff risks escalating into a full trade war within NATO’s own ranks.
Key Takeaways
- Trump sets February 1 deadline for 10% tariffs, rising to 25% June 1
- Eight European nations targeted over Greenland opposition
- Protests erupt in Nuuk and Copenhagen defending self-rule
- NATO drills continue as diplomats seek off-ramp
- Congressional delegation warns alliance trust is on the line
