Trump Announces 10% Tariffs on Eight European Nations Over Greenland Purchase Demand

WEST PALM BEACH  (VINnews) — President Trump announced Saturday that the United States will impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark and seven other European countries beginning Feb. 1, escalating to 25% on June 1 unless a deal is reached for the “Complete and Total purchase” of Greenland.

The affected nations are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland — all NATO allies that have expressed solidarity with Denmark in rejecting Trump’s repeated calls to acquire the vast Arctic island, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump framed the tariffs as leverage amid what he described as a critical national security issue. “China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” he wrote. “Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!”

Trump pointed to recent joint security exercises and military deployments by European allies in Greenland as a “very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.” He has long argued that U.S. ownership of Greenland is essential to counter potential Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic, citing the island’s strategic location and mineral resources. The U.S. already maintains a military presence at Pituffik Space Base under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark.

The announcement came hours after thousands protested in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, and across Denmark against Trump’s threats, with demonstrators waving signs reading “Greenland is not for sale” and chanting in Greenlandic. Leaders in Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly insisted the island is not for sale and that its future is a matter for its people.

European officials condemned the move swiftly. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the tariffs “completely wrong,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU leaders expressed “full solidarity” with Denmark and Greenland. Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the proposals were in “no one’s interest,” emphasizing that Arctic security should be addressed collaboratively within NATO.

The tariffs would apply to all goods exported to the U.S. from the eight countries and appear to layer on top of existing duties from prior trade agreements. Analysts noted the move could further strain transatlantic relations and cast doubt on recent U.S.-EU trade pacts.

Trump’s push for Greenland, which he has described as a longstanding U.S. interest dating back more than 150 years, has intensified since his return to office. He has not ruled out other measures to secure control, though both Denmark and Greenland maintain that the territory’s self-determination must be respected.

A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation recently visited Copenhagen to reassure Danish officials amid the tensions, but the tariff threat appeared to heighten the diplomatic standoff.