Trump's Greenland plan: US President threatens tariffs for those who don't support takeover bid; warns of Russia, China intervention

US President Donald Trump, during a health roundtable at the White House, suggested that the countries that don't go along with his Greenland plan may face tariffs.

"I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security," he said.




While the tariff threats are fresh to the matter, his remarks come amid the renewed push to purchase the self-governed territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The US President backs his attempts with the claim that owning Greenland is crucial for the national security of the United States.

On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with senior White House officials, including US Vice President JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio, in Washington. This came as Trump pushed the Nato to support his decision to acquire Greenland.

After the meeting, Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Copenhagen and the White House still have a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland.

However, the meeting did conclude with an agreement to form a working group, though Denmark and the White House publicly gave sharply different explanations of its purpose.

A week ago, he claimed that if the US does not step in, then Russia or China will try to acquire the strategically located Arctic territory. Reinstating the claims, he said he would not want Beijing or Moscow to become neighbours to the United States.

Speaking to reporters during a meeting with top oil and gas executives, he said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland -- and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour. I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way"

Greenland and Denmark have made their stance clear about "Greenland not being for sale." The European leaders have also joined Denmark in saying the US can't control the world's largest island.