US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Denmark over Greenland, accusing Copenhagen of failing to counter what he described as a “Russian threat” to the strategically vital Arctic territory and signalling that Washington would now act.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said NATO had warned Denmark for two decades to address security concerns in Greenland. “Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done,” he wrote.
Trump’s remarks come amid rising transatlantic tensions, fuelled by his threat to impose fresh tariffs on European countries that back Denmark’s position on Greenland. On Saturday, he announced a 10 per cent tariff, effective February 1, on imports from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The move triggered emergency consultations in Brussels, where European Union member states discussed both immediate countermeasures and the broader implications for US–EU relations. The bloc is now weighing the possible use of its strongest trade retaliation mechanism, the Anti-Coercion Instrument, often dubbed the EU’s “trade bazooka”.
If deployed, it would allow the EU to impose restrictions on investment, access to public procurement and intellectual property protections against countries accused of economic coercion.
It was also the most forceful rebuke of Trump from the European allies since he returned to the White House almost a year ago. In recent months, Europeans have mostly opted for diplomacy and flattery around him, even when seeking an end to the war in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe must be prepared to respond firmly. “It’s time to use the EU’s ‘trade bazooka’ for the first time,” he said after the Brussels meeting.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that the United States should acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty, citing growing Chinese and Russian activity in the Arctic and the island’s importance to US security interests. He has warned that tariffs on European allies would escalate until Washington is permitted to buy the territory.
Denmark and Greenland have rejected the proposal outright. Leaders in Copenhagen and Nuuk have stressed that Greenland is not for sale and does not wish to become part of the United States. European officials have also pointed out that Greenland already falls under NATO’s collective security umbrella.
The White House and Danish authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. As the standoff sharpens, analysts warn that Trump’s Greenland push risks deepening rifts between the US and its closest allies at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
(With inputs from AP)