President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries that refuse to support his ambition to bring Greenland under United States control, a move that has escalated diplomatic tensions across Europe and raised fears of a major crisis within NATO.
Speaking at a White House meeting on Friday, Trump said he “may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” describing the Arctic territory as vital to US national security. Greenland is a self‑governing territory under the sovereignty of Denmark, a NATO ally.
Trump did not specify which countries could face new tariffs or the legal authority he would rely on to impose them. However, the remarks triggered immediate concern among European allies already alarmed by his repeated suggestions that the United States should either purchase Greenland or take control of it by force.
“We need Greenland for national security,” Trump said. “We’ll get it the easy way or the hard way.”
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and the Arctic makes it critical for early missile‑warning systems, Arctic shipping routes, and monitoring military activity in the region. The United States already maintains a permanent military presence at the Pituffik Space Base, where more than 100 US personnel are stationed under long‑standing defence agreements with Denmark.
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Despite this, Trump has argued that the US must “own” Greenland to properly defend it against potential threats from Russia or China.
Congressional Pushback and European Alarm
As Trump made his comments, a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress was visiting Greenland in a show of support for the territory and Denmark. The 11‑member group included lawmakers from both parties, including Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis, who have expressed unease over the president’s rhetoric.
Leading the delegation, Democratic Senator Chris Coons said the visit aimed to “lower the temperature” and listen to Greenlandic and Danish concerns before reporting back to Washington.
The delegation met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and members of Greenland’s parliament.
Denmark has warned that any US military action against Greenland would spell the collapse of NATO, the trans‑Atlantic alliance built on the principle that members defend one another against external threats.
European Military Response
European allies have rallied behind Denmark, stressing that Arctic security is a shared NATO responsibility. Several NATO members — including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom — have deployed small military contingents to Greenland as part of a symbolic reconnaissance mission under Danish‑led exercises known as Operation Arctic Endurance.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France had already sent an initial contingent to Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, and said it would soon be reinforced with “land, air, and sea assets.”
French diplomat Olivier Poivre d’Arvor described the deployment as a political signal, saying: “This is a first exercise. We will show the United States that NATO is present.”
Although the deployment involves only a few dozen personnel, analysts say its symbolic value is significant amid fears of a fracture within the alliance.
Diverging Positions Within NATO
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that any attempt by the US to annex Greenland would be catastrophic.
“A conflict or attempted annexation of the territory of a NATO member by another NATO member would be a political disaster and the end of the security order we know,” Tusk said.
Finland confirmed it is sending two military liaison officers for what it described as a fact‑finding mission, though officials stressed the situation remains fluid.
Meanwhile, Russia’s embassy in Belgium expressed “serious concern” over NATO’s increased presence in the Arctic, accusing the alliance of using alleged threats from Moscow and Beijing as a pretext for militarisation.
Despite mounting opposition, Trump has doubled down on his position, insisting Greenland is essential to US defence. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the European troop deployments would not affect the president’s decision‑making.
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