{"id":33673,"date":"2026-01-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=33673"},"modified":"2026-01-19T04:52:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T02:52:12","slug":"trump-vows-10-tariffs-on-eight-european-countries-amid-dispute-over-us-greenland-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/trump-vows-10-tariffs-on-eight-european-countries-amid-dispute-over-us-greenland-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump vows 10% tariffs on eight European countries amid dispute over US Greenland plans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>7 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on goods from eight European countries, escalating a transatlantic dispute over Greenland and raising fresh concerns about strains within NATO.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a social media post issued from his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said the United States would impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tariff would rise to 25% on June 1 unless a deal was reached for what Trump described as the \u201cComplete and Total purchase of Greenland\u201d by the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The announcement signals a significant escalation in Trump\u2019s long-running campaign to bring the strategically located Arctic territory under U.S. control and appears to directly link trade pressure to European opposition over Greenland\u2019s status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and\/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them,\u201d Trump said on Truth Social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cNow, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back \u2014 World Peace is at stake! China &amp; Russia want Greenland, &amp; there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it&#8230; The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and\/or any of these\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y6iZGQJxdP\">pic.twitter.com\/y6iZGQJxdP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WhiteHouse\/status\/2012576462734291156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 17, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and a member of NATO through Copenhagen. With a population of about 57,000, the island is rich in critical minerals and occupies a key strategic position in the Arctic, a region of growing military and economic competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump has repeatedly argued that U.S. ownership of Greenland is essential for national security, citing concerns that Russia and China could seek to expand their influence in the Arctic. He has also linked Greenland to the planned \u201cGolden Dome\u201d missile defense system, describing the island as vital to early warning and defense capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The United States already maintains a military presence in Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark. According to Danish officials, the American footprint has declined sharply since the Cold War, from thousands of personnel across more than a dozen installations to around 200 troops stationed at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland. The base supports missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance operations for both the U.S. and NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>European Troop Deployments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s latest tariff threat follows the recent deployment of European soldiers to Greenland, a move that has become a key point of contention. European officials have described the deployment as limited and defensive, focused on Arctic security training and NATO coordination rather than signaling confrontation with Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Danish Major General Soren Andersen said European troops had arrived in Nuuk for Arctic defense training exercises and stressed that the deployment was not aimed at the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor us, for me, it\u2019s not about signaling, it is actually about training military units, working together with allies,\u201d Andersen said. \u201cI would never expect a NATO country to attack another NATO country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?resize=1016%2C678&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Members of the Danish armed forces practice looking for potential threats during a military drill\" class=\"wp-image-33628\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Denmark-Exercise-Greenland.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Members of the Danish armed forces practice looking for potential threats during a military drill as Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian home guard units together with Danish, German, and French troops take part in joint military drills in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on September 17, 2025. (Image Credit: Reuters\/Guglielmo Mangiapane)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Danish military has also hosted planning meetings in Greenland with NATO allies, including the United States, to discuss Arctic security on the alliance\u2019s northern flank. Andersen said U.S. forces had been invited to participate in Operation Arctic Endurance, an upcoming NATO exercise in Greenland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Trump\u2019s claims, Andersen said he had not observed Chinese or Russian warships operating near the island during his tenure in Greenland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>European Leaders Push Back<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tariff threat has prompted sharp responses from European leaders, many of whom framed Trump\u2019s move as unacceptable pressure on allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>French President Emmanuel Macron drew an implicit comparison between Trump\u2019s rhetoric and Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, saying: \u201cNo intimidation or threats will influence us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland, or anywhere else in the world when we are faced with such situations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner,\u201d Macron added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU stood \u201cin full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland,\u201d warning that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a \u201cdangerous downward spiral.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Greenland\u2019s future was a matter for Denmark and Greenland alone, adding that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing NATO\u2019s collective security was \u201ccompletely wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?resize=1016%2C678&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"France's President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer\" class=\"wp-image-31171\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/France-Germany-UK-leaders-meeting.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>France&#8217;s President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pose as they meet on the sidelines of the two-day NATO Heads of State and Government summit, in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 24, 2025. (Image Credit: Ludovic Marin\/Reuters)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Nordic leaders were equally blunt. Sweden\u2019s prime minister said his country would not accept being \u201cblackmailed,\u201d while Norway\u2019s prime minister said \u201cthreats have no place among allies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Denmark\u2019s foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, rejected Trump\u2019s claims that European deployments were provocative, saying the increased presence was designed to enhance Arctic security. \u201cThis is out of the question,\u201d Rasmussen said of any U.S. acquisition of Greenland. \u201cIt infringes on sovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greenland\u2019s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the territory stood firmly with Denmark and NATO, stating that Greenland\u2019s future was not for sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>Protests in Greenland and Denmark<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s announcement came as protests intensified in Greenland and Denmark. In Nuuk, hundreds of demonstrators marched through icy streets toward the U.S. consulate, holding signs rejecting U.S. control of the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar demonstrations took place in Copenhagen, where thousands waved Greenlandic flags and called for respect for Greenland\u2019s right to self-governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is important for the whole world,\u201d Danish protester Elise Riechie said. \u201cThere are many small countries. None of them are for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The protests took place hours after a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers visiting Copenhagen sought to reassure Danish and Greenlandic officials of congressional support.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=1016%2C678&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Thousands of demonstrators marched across snow and ice in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland\" class=\"wp-image-33674\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-flag-people-protest.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Thousands of demonstrators marched across snow and ice in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on January 17, 2025. (Image Credit: X\/@CGTNOfficial)<\/sup><\/em><br><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Questions Over NATO Unity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are immediate questions about how the proposed tariffs could be implemented. The European Union functions as a single economic zone for trade, complicating efforts to target individual member states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also unclear what legal authority Trump would use, though he could attempt to invoke emergency economic powers that are currently being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dispute has raised broader concerns about NATO unity. Several U.S. lawmakers, including members of Trump\u2019s own Republican Party, warned that using tariffs against allies over Greenland could weaken the alliance and benefit strategic rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,\u201d Senator Chris Coons said while visiting Copenhagen. \u201cIf we cause allies to question whether we can be counted on, why would any other country believe in our commitments?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Polling in the United States shows limited public support for Trump\u2019s Greenland ambitions, with fewer than one in five Americans approving of efforts to acquire the island and overwhelming opposition to any use of military force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the backlash, Trump has insisted tariffs remain his preferred tool to force negotiations, saying the United States was \u201cimmediately open\u201d to talks. European leaders, however, have made clear that Greenland\u2019s sovereignty is not negotiable, setting the stage for a deeper confrontation between Washington and its closest allies.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=1016%2C678&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Thousands of demonstrators marched across snow and ice in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland\" class=\"wp-image-33675\" style=\"width:840px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?resize=589%2C392&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protest-Nuuk.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><sup>Thousands of demonstrators marched across snow and ice in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on January 17, 2025. (Image Credit: X\/@CGTNOfficial)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on goods from eight European countries, escalating a transatlantic dispute over Greenland and raising fresh concerns about strains within NATO.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33677,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[62,1,125],"tags":[288,134,357,239,64,53,880,59,219,148,71,213,892,296,702,7,61],"class_list":["post-33673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","category-news","category-united-states","tag-denmark","tag-economy","tag-europe","tag-finland","tag-france","tag-germany","tag-greenland","tag-nato","tag-netherlands","tag-norway","tag-politics","tag-sweden","tag-tariff","tag-trade","tag-trump","tag-u-s","tag-uk"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Greenland-protests.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-8L7","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33673"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33678,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33673\/revisions\/33678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}