US President Donald Trump on Friday said he could impose trade tariffs on countries that refuse to support his controversial plan for the United States to take control of Greenland, a self-governing territory under NATO ally Denmark.
Speaking during a health roundtable at the White House, Trump said access to Greenland was crucial for US national security and warned that economic pressure could be used against dissenting countries. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” he said, adding, “I may do that.”
The president likened the potential tariffs to similar threats he made last year against France and Germany over pharmaceutical pricing, signaling that trade measures remain a key tool in his foreign policy approach.
Trump has repeatedly pushed for the acquisition of Greenland, citing its vast mineral resources and strategic location in the Arctic. He has accused Greenland and Denmark of failing to adequately secure the territory against growing influence from Russia and China, and has even suggested that military action could be an option if diplomatic efforts fail.
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In response, several European countries have publicly backed Denmark and Greenland, with some deploying troops to the region as a show of support. A bipartisan delegation from the US Congress also arrived in Copenhagen on Friday to reaffirm America’s traditional alliance with Denmark and express opposition to escalating tensions.
Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US officials at the White House in an attempt to ease the standoff. However, both sides acknowledged afterward that they remained in “fundamental disagreement” over Trump’s proposal.
Despite the sharp differences, the White House said on Thursday that the United States, Denmark, and Greenland had agreed to establish a joint working group that will meet every two to three weeks to continue discussions on the issue.
