Femi Ashekun/
President Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on eight European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and France, unless Denmark agrees to the “complete and total purchase” of Greenland by the United States.
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump said the United States would impose a 10 percent tariff from February 1, 2026, rising to 25 percent from June 1, on goods imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, until a deal is reached over Greenland.
“We have subsidised Denmark, and all of the countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them tariffs,” Trump wrote. “Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back. World peace is at stake.”
Trump framed the move as a matter of global security, claiming that China and Russia “want Greenland” and that Denmark is incapable of defending it.
“They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently,” he said, adding that “only the United States of America, under President Donald J. Trump, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that”.
He described Greenland as a “sacred piece of land” whose control was essential to the national security of the United States and “the world at large”, and alleged that several European countries had “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”, calling the situation “very dangerous for the safety, security, and survival of our planet”.
“Therefore,” Trump concluded, “it is imperative that, in order to protect global peace and security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question.”
The US president also linked the proposed acquisition of Greenland to America’s expanding missile defence architecture, known as the Golden Dome, arguing that the system “can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency… if this land is included in it”.
European leaders responded with sharp and coordinated criticism, rejecting both the premise of Trump’s claims and the use of tariffs as leverage against allies.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, said France’s position was rooted in the defence of sovereignty and international law.
“France is committed to the sovereignty and independence of nations, in Europe and elsewhere,” Macron said. “This guides our choices. It underpins our commitment to the United Nations and to its Charter.”
Macron confirmed that France had participated in a Danish-organised exercise in Greenland, stating: “We fully assume this decision, because security in the Arctic and at the outer edges of our Europe is at stake.”
He warned that intimidation would not succeed. “No threat or intimidation will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world,” he said, adding that tariff threats were “unacceptable and have no place in this context”.
“Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed,” Macron said. “We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld.”
UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, also rejected Trump’s approach, stressing that Greenland’s future lay solely with its people and Denmark.
“Our position on Greenland is very clear,” Starmer said. “It is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes.”
Starmer emphasised that Arctic security was a shared NATO concern, but criticised the use of trade measures against allies.
“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong,” he said. “We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”
The UK opposition echoed that stance. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described the proposal as “a terrible idea”, warning of economic consequences on both sides of the Atlantic.
“President Trump is completely wrong to announce tariffs on the UK over Greenland,” Badenoch said. “People in both the UK and US will face higher costs. These tariffs will be yet another burden for businesses across our country.”
She added, “The sovereignty of Greenland should only be decided by the people of Greenland. On this, I agree with Keir Starmer.”
The European Union has also cautioned that linking trade penalties to territorial demands risks a serious deterioration in relations between the United States and its closest allies, raising fears of retaliation, higher consumer prices and renewed instability in global trade.
While the United States has expressed interest in acquiring Greenland intermittently for more than a century, European officials insist that Arctic security concerns should be addressed through NATO cooperation, not coercive economic measures.
As diplomatic engagement intensifies in the coming days, the dispute is shaping up as one of the most severe tests of transatlantic unity in years.
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