Trump Slaps New Tariffs On Europe As Greenland Dispute Escalates

President Donald Trump on Saturday intensified a growing diplomatic standoff with Europe over Greenland, unveiling a new round of tariffs targeting countries he says are obstructing U.S. efforts to secure the strategically vital Arctic territory.

According to Breitbart News, Trump announced a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from Denmark and seven additional European nations, framing the move as a necessary response to an escalating national security threat tied to Greenland’s location and the expanding ambitions of America’s global adversaries.

In a series of posts on Truth Social, the president issued a stark warning, declaring that “world peace is at stake” as China and Russia maneuver for influence in the Arctic—an area Trump argues Denmark is ill-equipped to defend.

“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” Trump wrote.

Trump ridiculed Denmark’s ability to secure the island, joking that Copenhagen has “two dogsleds” to protect Greenland, which has remained under Danish control since the 18th century. He asserted that only the United States possesses the military, economic, and strategic capacity to safeguard the territory against modern geopolitical threats.

The president also accused Denmark and its European partners of benefiting for decades from American economic and military protection without fair compensation.

“We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration,” Trump wrote. “Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back.”

The new tariffs will apply not only to Denmark but also to Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—countries that have pledged to deploy military forces to Greenland in support of Danish sovereignty. Trump argued that those commitments have recklessly escalated tensions in an already volatile region.

“This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet,” he wrote. “These countries have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.”

The measures will be layered on top of existing trade actions, including a 15 percent baseline tariff negotiated earlier this year with the European Union and a separate 10 percent baseline tariff already imposed on Britain. Trump warned that if the Greenland dispute remains unresolved by June, the newly announced tariff rate will rise to 25 percent.

Highlighting the island’s growing military importance, Trump said prior U.S. administrations had sought control of Greenland for more than 150 years but lacked the resolve to act. He argued that advances in modern defense technology—particularly missile defense—make continued hesitation untenable.

The president specifically cited Greenland’s role in next-generation missile defense infrastructure, including the Golden Dome system, emphasizing that the island’s geography is essential to its effectiveness.

“Hundreds of billions of dollars are currently being spent on security programs having to do with ‘The Dome,’” Trump wrote, noting that the system depends on precise angles, measurements, and territorial boundaries that include Greenland.

Despite the sharp rhetoric, Trump said the United States remains open to diplomacy, stressing that negotiations are still on the table after decades of American support for Europe.

“We are immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and or any of these countries that have put so much at risk,” he wrote.

Officials in Denmark and Greenland have so far rejected any transfer of control, though questions remain about whether that stance could shift if Washington offers a formal compensation package for Denmark and Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents.

Senior officials from the United States, Denmark, and Greenland held an initial meeting at the White House this week, chaired by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While all sides agreed to continue high-level talks, Danish officials later acknowledged to local media that a “fundamental disagreement” remains unresolved.