Trump slaps tariffs on NATO countries over Greenland

The US president has imposed levies on eight European members of the bloc for opposing his plan to acquire the island

US President Donald Trump has announced he will impose tariffs on eight European NATO nations that oppose his plans to acquire Greenland. The measures will remain in place until a “complete and total purchase” of the Danish autonomous territory is achieved, he said.

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly stated that Washington needs to annex Greenland for the sake of “national security” and to counter an alleged threat from China and Russia. The US president has shown increasing determination to acquire the territory by any means, hinting at potentially taking the island by force.

The US president moved forward with his threats on Saturday, announcing tariffs against eight European NATO members, including Denmark itself. A 10% levy will come into force on February 1, and will be bumped to 25% in June, remaining in force until a “complete and total purchase” of Greenland is realized.  

Trump announced the move in a post on his Truth Social platform, reiterating his allegations of an imminent takeover of the island by Beijing or Moscow. Both Russia and China have rejected the claims, which have also been disputed by regional officials. 

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“Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown,” Trump wrote. All the listed countries will be subjected to tariffs, which will be “due and payable” until a deal is reached.  

While European NATO states have largely refrained from clashing with the US publicly over Trump’s intentions, the affected nations have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to show their support to Denmark.  

Both Danish and Greenlandic authorities have rejected the prospect of ceding the island to the US, insisting that its future lies in the hands of its people. The population voted in 2008 to retain their autonomous status within the Kingdom of Denmark.