US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on eight European countries unless Denmark agrees to enter negotiations over the sale of Greenland, sharply escalating a diplomatic dispute with long-standing US allies.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States would introduce an additional 10% import tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain starting February 1. All of the countries are already subject to tariffs imposed during Trump’s presidency.
According to Trump, the tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 and remain in place indefinitely until Washington reaches an agreement allowing the United States to purchase Greenland, the vast Arctic island that is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
“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, accusing European allies of undermining US security interests.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is vital to US national security because of its strategic location between North America and Europe, as well as its significant reserves of rare earth minerals and other natural resources. He has also declined to rule out the use of military force to gain control of the island, a stance that has alarmed European governments.
Tensions increased this week after several European nations deployed military personnel to Greenland at Denmark’s request, a move widely interpreted as a signal of solidarity and deterrence. The deployments prompted sharp warnings from Washington.
“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, including maximum protection, over so many decades,” Trump said, framing the dispute as a test of alliance loyalty.
The comments sparked protests in both Denmark and Greenland on Saturday, where demonstrators rejected Trump’s demands and called for Greenland’s future to be decided solely by its own people. Many Greenlanders have long opposed any transfer of sovereignty and favor either continued autonomy within the Danish realm or eventual independence.
Senior officials in several European Union member states have publicly backed Denmark, warning that any attempt by the United States to seize territory from a fellow NATO member could fatally undermine the alliance. “An armed conflict within NATO would represent an unprecedented collapse of trust,” one EU diplomat said.
Britain has also voiced its support for Denmark, emphasizing respect for international law and the principle of territorial integrity.
The dispute marks one of the most serious confrontations between Washington and its European allies in decades, raising questions about the future of transatlantic relations, NATO unity, and the stability of the Arctic region amid growing global competition.
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