Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland; Europe considers retaliation

President Trump issued an ultimatum on Truth Social this weekend, saying he would impose steep tariffs on a group of European countries — 10 percent in February and 25 percent in June — unless they agreed to allow a “complete and total purchase” of Greenland. European leaders publicly rejected the demand.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the ultimatum “completely wrong,” and France’s Emmanuel Macron suggested invoking the E.U.’s so‑called “anti‑coercion instrument,” or “trade bazooka,” to restrict American companies’ access to the single market. Members of the European Parliament announced they would freeze ratification of a trade deal with the U.S., and leaders are set to hold an extraordinary meeting in the coming days to coordinate a response.

There have been protests in Greenland and Denmark. In Nuuk, Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen led a march and raised a Greenlandic flag; polls show Greenlanders prefer to remain a self‑governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. In Copenhagen thousands marched to the U.S.

Embassy. The tariff threats followed recent military exercises in Greenland by several European nations; the U.S. has said it needs a presence in Greenland as a bulwark against China and Russia and already has the right to expand its military presence there under a 1951 agreement with Denmark.

Key Topics

World, Donald Trump, Greenland, European Union, Denmark, Emmanuel Macron