European leaders worked on Sunday to present a united front against proposed tariff threats from Donald Trump, aimed at countries resisting his desires to acquire Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
Since returning to office a year ago, the US president has repeatedly spoken of taking control of the vast Arctic island, citing national security concerns over increasing Russian and Chinese activities in the region.
On Saturday, Trump escalated his rhetoric after European troops arrived in Greenland in recent days as part of Danish-backed military exercises.
He took to Truth Social to criticise the deployment, claiming: “Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have gone to Greenland for unknown reasons. (…) These nations, engaging in this dangerous game, have taken an unacceptable risk.”
Frustrated by the manoeuvres, Trump threatened new tariffs on these countries unless “a complete and total agreement is reached for the sale of Greenland.” A 10% tariff is set to begin on 1 February, rising to 25% on 1 June.
In response, an emergency meeting of EU ambassadors is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Brussels, with French President Emmanuel Macron expected to discuss this unprecedented NATO crisis with his European counterparts.
At the same time, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen began a diplomatic visit on Sunday to Norway, the United Kingdom, and Sweden — close NATO allies — to discuss strengthening the alliance’s role in Arctic security.
Rasmussen is expected to meet officials in Oslo on Sunday, London on Monday, and Stockholm on Thursday.
Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has frequently used tariffs to exert pressure in international relations, including against long-standing allies. However, this latest move marks an unprecedented escalation, with the United States, a foundational NATO member, threatening sanctions against allied nations to acquire land connected to Denmark, a sovereign democratic state.
Protests erupted on Saturday, with thousands gathering in Copenhagen and Nuuk — Greenland’s capital — chanting, “Greenland is not for sale,” to oppose Trump’s territorial ambitions.
A January 2025 poll revealed that 85% of Greenlanders opposed joining the United States and only 6% expressed support for the idea.
