WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with European allies and other nations by saying he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support U.S. plans to take control of Greenland, citing national security interests.
Speaking at a White House roundtable on Friday, Trump said the United States could consider trade penalties against any nation that “doesn’t go along with Greenland,” reiterating his controversial view that Greenland — a semiautonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark — is critical to U.S. strategic objectives.
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said, without providing specific details on which countries might be affected or how high levies could be.
Trump’s remarks mark the latest in a string of pressure tactics tied to his renewed bid to exert influence over Greenland’s future.
The president has previously suggested that the United States might seek to acquire the vast Arctic territory, home to significant mineral resources and with strategic military value due to its location.
The tariff threat drew swift pushback from allies.
Danish and Greenland officials have reaffirmed that the island is not for sale and emphasised its sovereign status within the Danish realm.
“Greenland belongs to its people, and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland,” Greenlandic leaders said, according to regional reporting.
European leaders have also warned that any attempt to coerce support for U.S. plans could jeopardise broader economic ties. French officials stressed that interfering in Greenland’s sovereignty could endanger EU-U.S. trade relationships.
The developments coincide with a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation’s visit to Copenhagen, aimed at reducing diplomatic tensions. Lawmakers stressed that the United States should work with allies and respect Greenland’s autonomy rather than seek unilateral control.
Trump’s comments have raised concerns among diplomatic and trade experts, who say deploying tariffs over geopolitical disagreements could strain long-standing alliances and potentially trigger retaliatory economic measures.
He did not say which countries might be hit with new tariffs, or what authority he would invoke to use tariffs in pursuit of his goal.
Along with Denmark and Greenland, other countries oppose his ambitions, and many in the US have expressed scepticism about an acquisition. As Trump spoke, a bipartisan congressional delegation was visiting Greenland to show support for the territory.
The 11-member group included Republicans who voiced concerns about the president’s calls for the US to somehow acquire Greenland for national security reasons. They met MPs as well as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Group leader Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said their trip was to listen to the locals and take their views back to Washington “to lower the temperature”.
Trump has said Greenland is vital for US security – and the US would get it “the easy way” or “the hard way” – a reference to ideas to buy the island or take it by force.
Greenland is sparsely-populated but resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base – a facility that has been operated by the US since World War Two.
Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the power to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland.
But Trump has said the US needs to “own” it to defend it properly against possible Russian or Chinese attacks.
Denmark has warned that military action would spell the end of Nato – the trans-Atlantic defence alliance where the US is the most influential partner.
NATO works on the principle that allies have to aid each other in case of attack from outside – it has never faced an option where one member would use force against another.
European allies have rallied to Denmark’s support.
They have also said the Arctic region is equally important to them and that its security should be a joint Nato responsibility – with the US involved.
To this end, several countries including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK have sent a limited number of troops to Greenland in a so-called reconnaissance mission.
French President Emmanuel Macron said “land, air, and sea assets” would soon be sent.
