Trump imposes 10% more tariffs on European countries that have sent troops to Greenland

BarcelonaDonald Trump does not resign the desire to annex GreenlandAs he enters his first year in office, the US president has once again pressured European allies to negotiate until they agree to let him buy the Arctic island. This Saturday, he announced that he will impose an additional 10% tariff on countries that have deployed troops to Greenland.

In a publication by Truth Social, he stated that he will apply new 10% tariffs on February 1st to all products entering the United States from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland. He also warned that the tariff could increase: "On June 1, 2026, the tariff will increase to 25%. This tariff will be enforceable and payable until an agreement is reached for the full and complete purchase of Greenland."

The leader has also simultaneously expressed his openness to "negotiating immediately" with the states in question, which he believes he has been protecting for many decades, even though he thinks they are "jeopardizing" everything Washington "has done for them."

French President Emmanuel Macron has been the European voice that has responded most forcefully to what he has labeled a "threat." He deemed US President Donald Trump's tariff announcement on Greenland unacceptable and warned that Europe will not back down. "No intimidation or threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we face these situations," he wrote in X.

In response to Washington's threat, the main political groups in the European Parliament united. Europe "is in favor of the EU-US trade agreement, but given Donald Trump's threats regarding Greenland, approval is not possible at this time," said the leader of the European People's Party, Manfred Weber, on social media Saturday night. He added that the 0% tariffs on US goods included in the Washington-Brussels agreement "must be suspended." Prior to this message, the European Union had stated that it is coordinating a "joint response" from all 27 member states regarding the tariffs, which it believes "could trigger a dangerous downward spiral." The measure "would undermine transatlantic relations and could trigger a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to defending its sovereignty," stated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in a joint statement shared on social media. In contrast, the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, argued that the economic sanctions benefited Beijing and Moscow: "China and Russia must be having a great time," she said.

The UK and Sweden have also rejected the announcement. "We will not be blackmailed. Only Denmark and Greenland decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland," declared Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Meanwhile, premier British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called Trump's decision "completely wrong."

Once ineffective for Europe

The White House threat comes after Several European countries, including France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands, responded to Denmark's call to send troops to Greenland. to conduct military maneuvers, a gesture intended to curb Washington's expansionist ambitions through a greater NATO presence in the Arctic. The gesture, more symbolic than pragmatic, was the first step in a plan that envisioned "more military presence in and around Greenland, including aircraft, ships, and soldiers, from NATO allies," in the near future. The European allies had announced the protection of critical infrastructure, assistance to Greenlandic authorities, the deployment of fighter jets to Greenland, and the completion of naval operations.

But these moves don't seem to have deterred Trump. The president insists that this Arctic territory, rich in precious metals and rare earth elements, is crucial for U.S. security. According to his message, the island is key to establishing a so-called "dome" or air defense network, which, among other things, would allow for the detection and interception of missiles launched from Russia or the Arctic.

Up to 40% tariffs

Despite the forcefulness of the message, in which Trump wrote that "no one will touch that sacred piece of land, especially since the national security of the United States and the world in general is at stake," referring to Greenland, it is unclear how these tariffs will be applied. Currently Most goods from the European Union are already taxed at 15%.Added to the additional 10% announced on Saturday, this would mean that on February 1st, the eight European states mentioned would be subject to tariffs of 25%. And if Trump follows through on his threat in June, they would soar to 40%. There is another element that generates confusion: the European Union usually operates as a single bloc when applying tariffs, and there are no differences between member states. Therefore, it remains to be seen how this would be legally implemented and whether the other EU countries could end up subject to the same levies. In any case, the issue will undoubtedly dominate the meeting scheduled for next week between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the US President at the World Economic Forum in Davos.