President Trump on Saturday said that he would impose a new 10% tariff on Denmark and seven other European countries until “a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
The president said the other countries impacted would be Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.
Trump said the new 10% duties would increase to 25% if a deal is not reached by June 1.
“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!”
Trump also pointed to joint security exercises around Greenland between Denmark and other European allies, calling them a “very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.”
“Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question,” Trump wrote.
The announcement was the latest step in sharply escalating tension between the U.S. and some of its closest allies in Europe. Any direct confrontation would threaten to undo 70 years of security and stability in the Atlantic under the NATO alliance.
Already, the U.S. has a trade framework agreement with the European Union capping tariffs at 15% and an agreement with the United Kingdom capping tariffs on imports at 10%. It was not immediately clear if the new tariffs would void that deal or be in addition to those rates.
The E.U. is America’s largest trading partner and largest source of imports.
The European Commission, which negotiates trade matters on behalf of member states, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The foreign ministries of the eight countries Trump has targeted, likewise, did not immediately reply to requests for comment on the threats Saturday.
Last week, European troops began arriving in Greenland in a show of support for the island territory, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters on Friday after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that “it’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”
Rasmussen said he told the Trump administration that “this is not in the interest of the kingdom.”
The new tariffs would come as the Trump administration battles widespread cost of living issues facing consumers in the U.S.
In November, the administration walked back some food tariffs. The president has also called for a cap on credit card interest rates of 10% and has ordered government-controlled entities to buy $200 billion of mortgage bonds to drive down mortgage rates.
Increasing tariffs on European countries could lead to higher prices for everything from pharmaceuticals to aircraft parts.
Germany, one of the countries specifically named by Trump on Saturday is a large source of industrial and pharmaceutical imports for the U.S.
“President Trump is completely wrong to announce tariffs on the UK over Greenland,” Kemi Badenoch, leader of the U.K.’s Conservative party said on social media. “People in both UK and US will face higher costs.”
The U.K. has sent just one military officer to Greenland as of Saturday, Sky News reported.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., responded to the president’s announcement on Fox News, saying that Trump “is right that Greenland is vital for the national security interests of the United States.” Cotton added “the best decision probably would be to acquire Greenland from Denmark.”
It was not immediately clear under what authority the new tariffs would be applied. Currently, tariffs on the U.K. and E.U. have been applied using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The Supreme Court is set to rule any day on whether that law granted Trump the authority to impose his country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs.
