President Donald Trump has ramped up his efforts to take control of Greenland following the deployment of troops by multiple European nations to the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
In a social media post on Saturday, he stated that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will face a 10% tariff starting February 1, which will increase to 25% on June 1—until a “Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
The announcement came after those NATO allies deployed troops to Greenland this past week, ostensibly for training purposes, at Denmark’s request.
European officials have noted the deployment was intended to demonstrate their commitment to Arctic security—given Trump’s claims that China and Russia pose a threat to Greenland—not to defend against a potential U.S. invasion. However, Trump referenced the troop deployment in his Saturday post.
“On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have traveled to Greenland for unknown reasons,” he wrote. “This is an extremely dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet. These countries, which are playing this very risky game, have introduced a level of risk that is neither tenable nor sustainable.”
Trump has repeatedly declined to rule out using the U.S. military as part of his Greenland plans, while his administration has also kept open the possibility of purchasing the island.
That’s despite estimates that extracting oil and rare earth minerals from Greenland would fail to yield any returns.
Trump’s latest post indicates he is leaning toward using trade relations as leverage for a purchase, rather than attempting to conquer Greenland directly with troops and Navy vessels.
Denmark has warned that any U.S. attack on Greenland or another NATO ally would effectively dissolve the nearly 80-year-old trans-Atlantic alliance.
A White House meeting with officials from Denmark and Greenland did not result in any diplomatic breakthrough, as the administration refused to change its stance.
While Greenland has offered the U.S. military and commercial access to the island, Trump has insisted that only a full takeover can secure Greenland and ensure national security.
“The United States has been attempting this transaction for more than 150 years. Many presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always declined,” he said on Saturday. “Now, because of The Golden Dome and modern-day weapons systems—both offensive and defensive—the need to ACQUIRE is particularly critical.”
Trump’s tariff threat also reignites trade tensions with the European Union after a prior action that set a 15% tariff on most EU products and obligated it to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to rule on Trump’s authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—the linchpin of his global tariff measures.
A ruling that invalidates the so-called reciprocal duties could reduce Trump’s leverage in an expanded trade war and put his already struck deals at risk.
While Trump did not specify which law his NATO tariffs would fall under, his Saturday focus on national security priorities implies the latest levies will not depend on IEEPA.
“Hundreds of billions of dollars are currently being allocated to security programs related to ‘The Dome’—including for the potential protection of Canada—and this extremely brilliant yet highly complex system can only operate at its maximum potential and efficiency, thanks to angles, metes, and bounds, if this land is included in it,” he added.