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Trump says he will '100%' carry out Greenland tariffs threat, as EU vows to protect its interests

January 20, 2026

President Trump has doubled down on his threat to impose tariffs on the UK and seven other NATO allies unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland to the United States, with rates starting at 10% on February 1st and potentially increasing to 25% by June. European leaders have uniformly rejected Trump's approach, with Denmark's foreign minister stating that sovereignty cannot be threatened and the UK reiterating that Greenland's future belongs to Greenlanders and Danes alone. The European Union plans an emergency summit for Thursday to coordinate a response to what they view as inappropriate trade threats.

Who is affected

  • The United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland (all NATO members facing tariff threats)
  • Greenland and its residents
  • The European Union as a bloc
  • NATO as an alliance organization
  • Businesses and consumers involved in trade between these countries and the United States
  • Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen

What action is being taken

  • Trump is imposing a 10% tariff on goods from eight NATO countries starting February 1st, increasing to 25% on June 1st
  • European NATO members are sending troops to Greenland in symbolic deployments
  • The European Union is holding an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday
  • Multiple NORAD aircraft are traveling to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland as part of routine operations
  • Trump is meeting with various parties in Switzerland this week

Why it matters

  • This situation represents an unprecedented threat to NATO unity, with the United States targeting its own defense allies with economic coercion over territorial acquisition demands. The crisis challenges fundamental principles of sovereignty and international law, as Trump attempts to purchase territory from an ally through tariff threats rather than diplomatic negotiation. European leaders view this as a potential breaking point for the transatlantic alliance that has underpinned Western security since 1949, with Denmark warning that military action would end NATO altogether.

What's next

  • Tariffs on the eight NATO countries are scheduled to begin on February 1st at 10%
  • Tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1st unless a deal is reached
  • The European Union will hold an emergency summit on Thursday in Brussels
  • Trump will meet with various parties in Switzerland this week
  • A meeting between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is planned

Read full article from source: BBC