Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed

Donald Trump said he will hit European countries with fresh tariffs of 10 per cent from next month until they agree to support his ambition to acquire Greenland. 

The US president said the new levies would apply to France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, and would rise to 25 per cent in June. 

“We have subsidised Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday.

“Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!”

The fresh tariffs threaten a sharp escalation of global tensions at a time of geopolitical instability, and come despite a recent string of trade deals struck between Washington and foreign capitals. 

Trump has strengthened his rhetoric about wanting the Danish territory in recent weeks and has not ruled out using military force to take it, rattling European allies.

On Saturday, Trump said the fresh tariff would be payable “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.

“Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused,” Trump wrote.

“Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important,” he added, referring to his plan to build a missile defence system for the US that would mimic Israel’s Iron Dome.

European ambassadors are expected to meet on Sunday to discuss a response, an EU official said.

“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

European Nato members, including Denmark, this week agreed to send troops to reinforce Greenland’s security. 

“No intimidation or threat will influence us — neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X.

“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context.”

Trump’s fresh trade broadside came as thousands of Danes and Greenlanders gathered in more than 10 locations to protest against the American threats to take control of the Arctic island. 

Protesters in Denmark and Greenland held up the Greenlandic flag and vented their anger at Trump’s plans. “Our future is decided by us,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland’s prime minister, told the protest in Nuuk. 

Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, the biggest European political group, said Brussels should refuse to officially approve the trade deal it negotiated with Washington last year, “given Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland”. 

Tariffs that the EU had agreed to drop to zero “must be put on hold”, he added.

The European parliament is due to vote on the deal in the next two months. The vote, which will allow the EU to implement the deal, had already been delayed by MEPs following Trump’s earlier threats against Greenland.

Weber’s comments bring the EPP into line with a majority of MEPs on the centre and left.

Officials in Greenland, Norway and Denmark criticised Trump’s efforts to pressure allies.

Aqqalu Jerimiassen, head of the Greenlandic party Atassut which is part of the government coalition, told TV2 that it was “childish” and “completely mindless”. He added: “It’s like a child at the table who is not allowed to have sweets.”

“We do not believe that the question of tariffs belongs in this context,” said Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s foreign minister. 

Rasmus Jarlov, a former Danish minister and current MP, said: “Every insult, threat, tariff and lie that we receive strengthens our resolve . . . We will never hand over Greenland.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”

Analysts said Trump’s threat demonstrated that even striking a trade deal with the US, as Starmer had done, was no protection from the president’s wrath.

“Starmer is looking incredibly exposed by Trump’s new tariff threat, as he has consistently touted the UK’s ‘superior’ trade deal as one justification for his government’s softer approach to this Administration,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group.

“It will make him look particularly foolish in the eyes of many European member states who view Trump as an unreliable partner.”

It was not clear what legal authority Trump would invoke to hit allies with tariffs, or whether the new levies would apply to goods that have been exempt from US tariffs under recent trade agreements.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

The US Supreme Court is expected to rule in coming weeks on the legality of the US president using emergency powers to swiftly impose tariffs on trading partners. A ruling against the US government could present a setback for Trump’s flagship economic policy and force Washington to roll back many of its existing tariffs.

Additional reporting by David Sheppard in London and Alice Hancock in Brussels