US President Donald Trump Threatens Tariffs on Nations Opposing Greenland Annexation
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan to annex Greenland. During a White House meeting, Trump stated, “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” referring to the self-governing territory under Danish control. He did not specify which nations might face such taxes or which authority he would use to justify the import duties in pursuit of his goal.
Bipartisan Delegation Visits Greenland to Show Support
A bipartisan congressional delegation was visiting Greenland to express backing for the territory. The 11-member group included Republicans who raised concerns about Trump’s push for US acquisition, citing national security reasons. They met with local MPs and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, along with her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Group leader Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, noted their visit aimed to “listen to the locals and take their views back to Washington to lower the temperature.”
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said at Friday’s White House meeting on rural healthcare.
Greenland, though sparsely populated, is resource-rich and strategically located between North America and the Arctic. Its position makes it ideal for early warning systems against missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region. The US already maintains over 100 permanent military personnel at its Pituffik base, a missile-monitoring station on Greenland’s north-western tip, which has been operated by the US since World War Two. Under current agreements with Denmark, the US can deploy as many troops as needed to Greenland.
However, Trump has argued that the US must “own” Greenland to defend it effectively against potential Russian or Chinese threats. Denmark has warned that military action could end NATO, the trans-Atlantic defense alliance where the US holds the most influence. NATO operates on the principle that allies support each other in case of external attacks, and it has never faced a scenario where one member would use force against another.
European allies have rallied behind Denmark, emphasizing that the Arctic’s security should be a shared NATO responsibility. Countries such as France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK have sent a small number of troops to Greenland as part of a reconnaissance mission. French President Emmanuel Macron stated, “Land, air, and sea assets” would be deployed soon.
