President Donald Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations because of their opposition to American control of Greenland.
Trump said in a social media post that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland would face the tariff and that it would climb to 25% on June 1 if a deal is not in place for “the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland” by the United States. The threat of tariffs was a drastic and potentially dangerous escalation of a showdown between Trump and NATO allies, further straining an alliance that dates to 1949 and provides a collective degree of security to Europe and North America. The Republican president has repeatedly tried to use trade penalties to bend allies and rivals alike to his will, generating investment commitments from some nations and pushback from others such as China, Brazil and India. It was unclear how Trump could impose the tariffs under US law, though he could cite economic emergency powers that are currently subject to a US Supreme Court challenge.
Trump said in his Truth Social post that his tariffs were retaliation for recent trips to Greenland by representatives from Britain, the Netherlands and Finland and for general opposition to his efforts to purchase the semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. He has Greenland is essential for the “Golden Dome” missile defense system for the US, and has argued that Russia and China might try to take over the island.
Resistance has steadily built in Europe to Trump’s ambitions, even as several countries on the continent agreed to his 15% tariffs last year in order to preserve an economic and security relationship with Washington.
Earlier Saturday, hundreds of people in Greenland’s capital braved near-freezing temperatures, rain and icy streets to march in a rally in support of their own self-governance.
The Greenlanders waved their red-and-white national flags and listened to traditional songs as they walked through Nuuk’s small downtown. Some carried signs with messages like “We shape our future,” “Greenland is not for sale” and “Greenland is already GREAT.” They were joined by thousands of others in rallies across the Danish kingdom. The rallies occurred hours after a bipartisan US congressional delegation in Copenhagen sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support.
US Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said the current rhetoric around Greenland was causing concern across the Danish kingdom and that he wanted to de-escalate the situation.
“I hope that the people of the Kingdom of Denmark do not abandon their faith in the American people,” he said in Copenhagen, adding that the US has respect for Denmark and NATO “for all we´ve done together.”
Danish Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, leader of the Joint Arctic Command, told The Associated Press that Denmark doesn’t expect the US military to attack Greenland, or any other NATO ally, and that European troops were recently deployed to Nuuk for Arctic defense training.