The goods of eight NATO countries shipped to the U.S. will encounter increasing tariffs “until a Deal is finalized for the Complete and Total acquisition of Greenland,” announced President Donald Trump on Saturday.
The duties directed at Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will initial at 10% commencing February 1, Trump detailed in a Truth Social post.
The duties will escalate to 25% on June 1, said the president.
These penalties would presumably accumulate on top of current U.S. tariffs that are already imposed on products from these nations.
Tariffs set forth by the U.S. on its allies currently average around 15% on imports from European Union countries targeted by Trump and approximately 10% on goods from the United Kingdom, with rates differing by sector.
In critical sectors such as metals and specific vehicles, combined measures have already elevated effective tariffs into the mid-teens to mid-20% range.
Imposing tariffs on one or more EU members, of which there are 27 nations, implies that the new tariffs would be applicable to all. Trump’s stipulations now jeopardize the EU-U.S. trade agreement established in August.
Manfred Weber, a senior member of the European Parliament (MEP), stated that the EU trade deal with the U.S. is “not feasible at this time.”
“The EPP supports the EU-U.S. trade agreement, but in light of Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, its approval is not feasible at this time,” he posted on X. “The 0% tariffs on U.S. goods need to be suspended.”
EU ambassadors will convene for an urgent meeting on Sunday, according to Reuters. Cyprus, which is currently holding the six-month rotating EU presidency, has called this meeting, scheduled to commence at 5 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET).
Tariff strategy
Trump’s post implied that the new tariffs on European allies are being enacted in response to these countries mobilizing troops to Greenland. They have taken this action as the Trump administration has floated the idea of employing the U.S. military in its heightened efforts to acquire the Danish territory.
The eight nations “have traveled to Greenland, for reasons that are unclear,” Trump wrote. “This is a very perilous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.”
The day before, Trump suggested that he might adopt a tariff strategy for Greenland similar to the tactics he employed to compel foreign nations to reduce drug costs.
“I might apply that strategy to Greenland as well. I may impose tariffs on nations if they do not cooperate regarding Greenland, since we require Greenland for national security,” he stated at the White House on Friday.
While the president did not refer to specific legal provisions in his Truth Social announcement concerning his latest actions, it appears to echo his contentious utilization of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a statute that provides the president extensive authority during an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
The Supreme Court may rule as early as next week on whether to annul tariffs implemented under that law, which could instantly jeopardize this new set, effectively challenging the judiciary to engage in a new trade conflict.
Scott Lincicome, a scholar of trade policy at the Cato Institute, cautioned on Saturday that the new threat reveals the vulnerability of relying on unilateral agreements rather than binding treaties.
“Trump’s tariff declaration verifies… that his trade agreements can be altered at a moment’s notice and are unlikely to restrain his daily tariff tendencies,” Lincicome stated. “Today’s threat emphasizes the hollow rationales for Trump’s so-called ’emergency’ tariffs, illustrating the economic and geopolitical complications that unrestricted executive authority produces.”
European response
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who leads the bloc’s trade policy, delivered a strong rebuttal to the White House’s ultimatum, presenting the tariffs not only as a trade conflict but as a challenge to Western principles.
“We opt for partnership and collaboration,” von der Leyen remarked in a post on Bluesky shortly after the announcement. “We select our businesses. We choose our people.”
Similarly, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed to MS Now on Saturday that Trump’s action caught her off guard, referring to a recent “constructive meeting” with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Frederiksen countered Trump’s assertions regarding troop movements, stating that the increased military presence is solely aimed at “enhancing security” in an Arctic region that is “no longer a low-tension area,” and was conducted in “full transparency” with U.S. partners.
Other European officials were just as resolute. European Council President Antonio Costa mentioned on Saturday that the bloc is “aligning a collective response” to the threat.
“The European Union will always stand firm in upholding international law, wherever it may be,” Costa remarked at a press meeting on Saturday following the endorsement of a trade agreement between the EU and South American nations in Paraguay.
French President Emmanuel Macron also chimed in, posting on X that “no intimidation or threat will sway us.” Macron cautioned that “stabilizing forces have awakened” and pledged that France would remain resolute alongside its neighbors.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson firmly dismissed Trump’s tariff threats.
“We will not permit ourselves to be coerced,” he remarked on X, adding that “only Denmark and Greenland decide matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cautioned that the new tariffs only serve to advantage China and Russia.
“China and Russia must be elated. They are the ones who gain from discord among allies,” she commented in a post on X. “If Greenland’s security is in jeopardy, we can resolve this within NATO.”
NATO strain and legal battles
Trump’s latest actions further exacerbate the strain on NATO, the 32-member military alliance formed after World War II. The foundation of the alliance rests on the principle that an attack on any individual member constitutes an attack on all.
European leaders have cautioned that any U.S. attempt to forcibly acquire Greenland could signal the dissolution of NATO.
Trump’s tariff declaration might indicate that he is forgoing the threat of military intervention to reach his long-held ambition of taking control of the island. Nonetheless, it still increases pressure on Denmark and the rest of Europe, which have clearly stated that Greenland is not available for purchase.
Some experts urged European leaders to refrain from reacting impulsively to Trump’s tariff threat.
“Just overlook it and observe the outcome,” advised Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING Research, to Reuters. “Europe has demonstrated that it will not tolerate everything, and thus the tariffs represent a move forward compared to the initially threatened military incursion.”
Lawmakers push for de-escalation
As the White House escalated its pressure, a bipartisan U.S. congressional group in Copenhagen countered Trump’s narrative.
“There are no immediate security threats to Greenland,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters on Saturday morning.
Coons and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, led the visit to “restore a sense of trust” with Greenland, stated Coons.
The two senators refuted Trump’s depiction of the European troop movements as a scheme to obstruct U.S. acquisition of the island, instead commending the deployments as NATO allies “rising to the occasion,” Coons remarked, to fortify the High North against Russian threats.
“Witnessing active training and deployments in one of the most challenging and remote locations on Earth… should be interpreted as a positive sign,” Coons remarked.
Murkowski underscored that despite the president’s criticisms, support for Denmark remains robust across party lines.
“This should not be politicized,” she declared. “Support for our friends and allies… mustn’t be a partisan affair.”
Additionally, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., both members of the Bipartisan Senate NATO Observer Group, cautioned that imposing tariffs on NATO would increase costs for U.S. households while benefiting adversaries like Russia and China.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers stated: “Continuing down this trajectory is detrimental to America, harmful to American businesses, and damaging to America’s allies… At a moment when many Americans already face worries regarding living expenses, these tariffs would elevate costs for both families and enterprises.”
The lawmakers noted that Danish and Greenlandic authorities wish to “collaborate with the United States,” urging the administration to “cease the threats and embrace diplomacy.”
— Terri Cullen contributed to this report.
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