Europe Pushes Back Hard as Trump Threatens Tariffs to Force Greenland Sale
European leaders are firing back at U.S. President Donald Trump after he shocked allies with a plan to slap rising tariffs on key European nations — unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland to the United States.
Trump announced late Saturday that starting Feb. 1, the U.S. will impose a 10% tariff on goods imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. He said those duties could climb to 25% by June 1 and stay in place “until a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
The announcement has set off alarm bells across Europe, where leaders blasted the move as economic coercion and a threat to long-standing transatlantic ties.
EU Leaders: ‘Dangerous Downward Spiral’
Top European Union officials slammed Trump’s tariff threat as reckless.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa warned that threatening tariffs against allies risks a “dangerous downward spiral” in relations and could undermine cooperation on a host of global challenges — from trade to security.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added that tariffs would hurt prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and distract the bloc from its core priorities, including supporting Ukraine. She also said geopolitical rivals like China and Russia stand to benefit from fractured Western unity.
EU ambassadors from all 27 member states have been summoned to an emergency meeting to coordinate their response.
National Leaders Unite in Condemnation
European capitals were quick to push back:
- French President Emmanuel Macron said “no amount of intimidation” would sway Europe’s stance on Greenland, calling the tariff threat “unacceptable.”
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the tariffs as “completely wrong,” stressing that Greenland’s future is a matter for the Danish and Greenlandic people — not the U.S. government.
- Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson declared Sweden would not be “blackmailed,” adding that decisions about Greenland are Denmark’s and Greenland’s sovereign right.
- Norway and the Netherlands labeled the tariff threat “blackmail,” and Germany pledged a coordinated EU response.
Greenland and NATO in the Spotlight
Trump’s moves come amid growing tensions over U.S. ambitions in Greenland — a Danish territory with strategic Arctic importance and vast natural resources. Denmark and Greenlandic leaders have repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale, emphasizing its right to self-determination.
European leaders also warned that U.S. aggression over Greenland could damage NATO unity and embolden adversaries like Russia. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that a forced U.S. move on Greenland “would make Putin the happiest man on earth,” suggesting it would weaken the West’s strategic position.
What Happens Next?
The drama is unfolding on multiple fronts. European countries are debating retaliation, from holding up trade deals with the U.S. to exploring legal and diplomatic countermeasures. Meanwhile, protests have erupted in Denmark and Greenland, where many oppose Washington’s intervention.
With emergency diplomatic talks underway and transatlantic relations strained, the world will be watching how this unlikely trade showdown between the U.S. and its closest allies plays out in the coming days.
