Trump declares economic war on NATO over support for Greenland

Donald Trump declared economic war on Nato on Saturday as he vowed to impose punishing tariffs on the UK and seven other nations over their support for Greenland.

In an extraordinary move sparking a transatlantic crisis, the US President accused Britain and other European countries of playing a 'very dangerous game' after they deployed a small number of military personnel to the Arctic last week.

Mr Trump stunned Whitehall with his out-of-the-blue announcement that, from February 1, Nato countries that oppose an American takeover of Greenland – including the UK, France and Germany – will have a 10 per cent tariff imposed on all goods imported by the US. The tariff will rise to a swingeing 25 per cent on June 1.

The President also threatened that the extra tariffs would be payable until a deal is reached for the US to acquire Greenland from Denmark.

Sir Keir Starmer, who has often been criticised for pulling his punches with Mr Trump, partly to secure the best deal for Britain on tariffs, unequivocally condemned the move on Saturday night.

The Prime Minister said: 'Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes.

'We have also made clear that Arctic security matters for the whole of Nato, and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia across different parts of the Arctic. 

'Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is completely wrong. We will, of course, be pursuing this directly with the US administration.'

Emmanuel Macron also reacted furiously to the news, promising consultation with EU leaders. The French president said: 'No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations.

'Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond to them in a united and co-ordinated manner if they were to be confirmed. We know how to uphold European sovereignty.'

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John Bolton, Mr Trump's former national security adviser, said: 'Donald Trump's extraordinary tariff threat against the UK and other countries for things they have said or done regarding Greenland is without doubt his most dangerous and destructive assertion during the five years of his presidency.

'To say it is without precedent radically understates how foolish and contrary to fundamental American interests it is. Its ramifications for the special relationship and Nato alliance – indeed for the credibility and trust the United States has spent decades trying to establish – is incalculable.'

The UK already pays a 10 per cent tariff on some goods imported by the US, after Mr Trump introduced a wave of taxes on countries around the world on his 'Liberation Day' last April.

Mr Trump's announcement is the latest twist in the White House's new foreign policy strategy – dubbed the 'Donroe Doctrine' after the earlier Monroe Doctrine – in which it seeks to dominate the western hemisphere and prevent foreign control of vital assets.

The UK has deployed just one military officer, at Denmark's request, to Greenland to join a reconnaissance group ahead of an exercise named Arctic Endurance.

Mr Trump has insisted the US needs to acquire Greenland for national security reasons and has not ruled out using military force. He has claimed it is vital for his planned missile defence shield known as the Golden Dome.

However, critics claim his interest is linked to Greenland's untapped mineral wealth rather than defence. The island possesses at least 25 of the 34 raw materials considered 'critical' by the EU.

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A source close to Mr Trump told The Mail on Sunday: 'What President Trump wants, President Trump gets. Some might see this as an escalation of tensions with our Nato allies, but all attempts to negotiate have failed.'

They added that a meeting at the White House last Wednesday, led by Vice President JD Vance with representatives from Denmark and Greenland, ended in impasse.

'The President has made it clear anything less than full US control of Greenland is unacceptable,' they added. 'President Trump is the master of the art of the deal and he knows what he is doing. If we don't go in, Russia or China will.'

On Saturday thousands of protesters took to the streets in Denmark and in Greenland's capital Nuuk, chanting 'Greenland is not for sale' amid anger over the threats.