President Donald Trump on Friday said he is considering using tariffs to pressure countries that oppose U.S. plans related to Greenland, arguing the Arctic island is vital for national security.
Speaking during a White House roundtable on rural health care, Trump said economic pressure could be used against countries that do not support Washington’s position. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” he said.
Trump linked the threat to past trade tactics, recalling how he used the prospect of a broad 25% tariff to push France to change its drug pricing policies. He suggested similar pressure could now be applied over Greenland.
The president has repeatedly said the U.S. should control Greenland, a stance that has alarmed allies. Earlier this week, Trump said anything short of total U.S. control of the island was “unacceptable.”
There is no agreement or legal framework allowing a transfer of sovereignty, and both Denmark and Greenland have rejected the idea of U.S. control, stressing that Greenland’s future can only be decided by its people.
Why does Greenland matter?
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, which retains control over defence and foreign policy. While Greenland is not a NATO member itself, it is tied to the alliance through Denmark and plays a growing role in transatlantic security.
The island sits between North America and Europe and has increasing strategic value as Arctic ice melts, opening new shipping routes. Greenland is also rich in largely untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals critical for future technologies and defence industries.
The U.S. already maintains a military presence on the island through Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, which is central to missile warning and space surveillance for the U.S. and NATO.
NATO and Arctic tensions
Trump’s remarks come as NATO increases its focus on the Arctic amid rising competition with Russia and China. Troops from five European countries were recently deployed to Greenland for a short, two-day mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s footprint and improving coordination in Arctic conditions.
Denmark has also announced plans to boost its military presence in Greenland in close cooperation with NATO allies.
Greenland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Research, Vivian Motzfeldt, said defence and security in and around Greenland remain a core priority and should be strengthened through cooperation with allies.
Diplomatic pushback
Diplomatic engagement has intensified in Washington. The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met this week with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as allies try to manage tensions sparked by Trump’s remarks.
European officials have warned that linking tariffs or other economic pressure to Greenland could escalate trade disputes and strain transatlantic relations, adding to geopolitical uncertainty in the Arctic.
Trump has not outlined a clear timeline or legal framework for using tariffs or other economic measures linked to Greenland, leaving allies uncertain about Washington’s next steps. For now, the White House says discussions with Denmark and Greenland are ongoing, even as Trump continues to frame the issue as a national security priority.
With NATO increasing its focus on the Arctic and European allies reinforcing their presence in Greenland, tensions are likely to persist. How far the U.S. is willing to go in tying trade policy to its ambitions in the Arctic may shape both transatlantic relations and the future balance of power in the region.
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