Lashing out at Europe, Trump announces 'Greenland tariffs'

TOI correspondent from Washington: Add “Greenland tariffs” to Russian oil tariffs, BRICS tariffs, Iran tariffs, Liberation Day tariffs etc. Declaring himself “Tariff King,” US President Donald Trump escalated the idea of taxing the world’s imports to “Make America Great Again” imposing 10 per cent tariffs on eight European countries — including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland— to force them to cede Greenland to the US.

Effective February 1, 2026, the US would impose 10% tariffs on the eight European countries "until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, evidently irked by some of them sending troops to Greenland to support Denmark. If a deal was not struck by June 1, the tariff will be increased to 25 percent, he added.



Trump claimed that the United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years, and “many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused.” Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important, he said. Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are currently being spent on Security Programs having to do with “The Dome,” including for the possible protection of Canada, and “this very brilliant, but highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency, because of angles, metes, and bounds, if this Land is included in it,” Trump added.

The US President also accused the countries sending their military to Greenland of playing a very “dangerous game,” putting “a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.” Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question, he said.


Denmark and Greenland have refuted Trump’s charge that the Arctic is overrun by Russian and Chinese vessels and the two countries are out to grab the territory.


The latest tariff announcement comes at a fraught moment for transatlantic relations. European governments have publicly rejected the idea of selling Greenland, asserting that decisions about the territory are strictly a matter for Denmark and Greenlandic authorities. European Union and Nato officials have warned that invoking tariffs against allies over territorial political disputes could undermine the foundation of the post–World War II security architecture.


Trump’s announcement revived broader elements of his aggressive tariff strategy first rolled out in 2025. During that earlier phase, he promulgated sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on more than 180 countries, including a baseline 10 percent rate on many trading partners and higher rates on China and the EU, claiming the measures would correct trade imbalances. The roster of affected nations has included Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, and others, with rates ranging from 10 percent up to nearly 50 percent under Trump’s rhetoric.


Trump has repeatedly referred to himself, in social media posts and campaign rhetoric, as the “tariff king,” underscoring his belief that tariffs are both a political tool and an economic weapon. In past engagements, he has threatened punitive duties on China, the European Union, Mexico, and other major economies, often in blunt and transactional language that bypasses traditional diplomatic channels.


But the recent tariff gambit has drawn intense bipartisan scrutiny at home. Even within Republican circles, unease is growing over the breadth and implications of Trump’s tariff policy. A group of GOP seNators has introduced legislation—the Trade Review Act of 2025—to rein in executive authority on tariffs and restore congressional oversight, a clear signal of mounting institutional pushback.


In MAGA-aligned spheres, reactions have been mixed. Some hard-line supporters laud Trump’s confrontational posture toward allies perceived as freeloading on US. security commitments, arguing that “America must be strong and assertive.” But other prominent conservatives and business voices warn that tariffs risk inflationary pressures, disrupted supply chains, and retaliation, potentially harming US. exporters and farmers. Analysts have also pointed to global market volatility sparked by earlier rounds of Trump’s tariffs.


Diplomatically, the implications are profound. Nato, long grounded in shared security interests, now faces stress not solely from external threats but from internal discord. Europe’s anger over punitive duties could erode political trust, complicate burden-sharing discussions, and fuel narratives of a fracturing alliance at a moment of Russian and Chinese assertiveness. Canada, a founding member of Nato, has already made tracks towards Beijing.