Trump threatens tariffs on nations that don’t back US takeover of Greenland

Summary

• Trump threatens tariffs on nations opposing the US acquisition of Greenland, citing national security needs due to mineral wealth.
• He questioned NATO's role and suggested potential withdrawal if they don't aid the acquisition, linking it to a missile defence system.
• Despite European support for Denmark and Greenland, the US continues talks, aiming to acquire Greenland despite "fundamental disagreement".

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Jan 16 said he may slap trade tariffs on countries that do not support his plans to take over Greenland, part of the territory of NATO ally Denmark.

“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Mr Trump said at a health roundtable meeting at the White House.

“I may do that,” he added.

Mr Trump compared the possible Greenland tariffs to those that he threatened against France and Germany in 2025 over the price of pharmaceutical products.

The threat is the latest pressure tactic by the Republican President as he steps up his bid to acquire the autonomous Arctic island, a goal he has threatened to achieve by military means
if necessary.

Mr Trump claims the US needs mineral-rich Greenland and has accused Denmark of not doing enough to ensure the island’s security against US rivals Russia and China.

The US President on Jan 16 also appeared to question his country’s core role in NATO over Greenland, while adding that Washington was “talking to” the military alliance about the issue.

“We’re going to see. NATO has been dealing with us on Greenland,” Mr Trump later told reporters when asked if he would pull the US out of NATO if it does not help it acquire Greenland.

“We need Greenland for national security very badly. If we don’t have it, we have a hole in national security, especially when it comes to what we’re doing in terms of the Golden Dome,” he added, referring to his planned missile defence system.

European nations that are members of NATO have in recent days shown their support for Denmark and Greenland over Mr Trump’s escalating threats, including by sending troops to the strategic territory.

A bipartisan US Congress delegation also began a visit to Copenhagen
on Jan 16 to voice its backing for Denmark and Greenland.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland visited the White House on Jan 14 for talks to defuse the issue but said afterwards that they remained in “fundamental disagreement” with Mr Trump.

But the US, Denmark and Greenland had agreed to set up a working group to continue talks every two to three weeks, the White House said on Jan 15.

Britain, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have announced the deployment of small numbers of military personnel
to prepare for future exercises in the Arctic.

But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the European troops did not impact Mr Trump’s “goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all”. AFP