European countries that don’t align with the Trump administration on an acquisition of Greenland by the United States will face tariffs, President Donald Trump said Saturday.
Trump noted that the countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will face a 10% tariff starting in February. The tax will increase to 25% in June.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
The president said that the United States needs Greenland to build “The Golden Dome,” missile defense system. He’s worried that the landmass is not properly protected from Russia and China, and joked that their only defense is “two dogsleds as protection, one added recently.”
Trump’s intention to acquire Greenland has rattled European leaders and forced Denmark’s NATO allies to contribute troops to the land mass. It’s unclear how serious Trump is about using military force to capture the land mass, and any effort would trigger a diplomatic crisis between America and Europe.
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But the tariffs signal Trump is trying to use economic pressure to sway Europe to be more receptive to his demands for Greenland. He said the U.S. “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, including maximum protection, over so many decades.”
But Trump appears to lack political support for his Greenland quest. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he believes Republicans and Democrats would require congressional sign-off for any military action in Greenland.
“If there was any sort of action that looked like the goal was actually landing in Greenland and doing an illegal taking … there’d be sufficient numbers here to pass a war powers resolution and withstand a veto,” Tillis said.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), a moderate Republican, said Trump’s fixation on Greenland is “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
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Trump said he wants to purchase Greenland, but Denmark and the politicians of the land mass have refused any such transaction.
Hundreds of demonstrators in Greenland’s capital protested any sale of Greenland and carried signs like “We shape our future,” “Greenland is not for sale” and “Greenland is already GREAT.”
