Trump vows rising tariffs on European allies until U.S. allowed to buy Greenland

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday (17 January) threatened to impose a new wave of escalating tariffs on several European allies unless the United States is allowed to purchase Greenland, intensifying a dispute over the future of the Danish Arctic territory.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said additional 10% import tariffs would take effect on 01 February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Great Britain, countries already facing U.S. tariffs. He said the levies would rise to 25% on 01 June and remain in place until an agreement is reached allowing the U.S. to buy Greenland.

Trump has repeatedly said Greenland is vital to U.S. security due to its strategic location and significant mineral resources, and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island. European countries this week deployed military personnel to Greenland at Denmark’s request.

“These countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” Trump wrote, adding that Washington was open to negotiations with Denmark and other countries involved.

Protests took place in Denmark and Greenland on Saturday, with demonstrators opposing Trump’s demands and calling for the territory to determine its own future.

The European countries named by Trump reiterated their support for Denmark, warning that any U.S. military seizure of territory within NATO could threaten the alliance itself. Following Trump’s remarks, Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said tariffs should not be linked to discussions over Greenland, stressing that NATO members broadly agree on the need to strengthen Arctic security.

Trump’s threat could also undermine tentative trade agreements reached last year with the European Union and Great Britain, which included baseline tariffs of 15% on EU imports and 10% on most British goods.

Tariffs have increasingly become Trump’s preferred tool in pressing allies and adversaries to meet U.S. strategic and economic demands. Earlier this week, he said he would impose 25% tariffs on countries trading with Iran, though no formal White House documentation has been released.

The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments on the legality of Trump’s broad use of tariffs, a ruling that could have far-reaching implications for global trade and presidential authority.

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is already covered by NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause. The U.S. maintains the Pituffik Space Base on the island with around 200 troops, with the right to deploy additional forces under a 1951 agreement.

Leaders in both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale, rejecting Trump’s insistence that U.S. ownership is necessary for security reasons.

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