President Trump is doubling down on his push to take control of Greenland, deepening a standoff between Washington and its closest allies in Europe.
Trump is now vowing to impose tariffs on countries that oppose the move, warning eight NATO allies that he will impose a 10 percent import tax beginning February first until a deal is reached to purchase Greenland.
Eight European nations, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Denmark, which controls Greenland, held an emergency session on Monday.
France’s president calls the threats “unacceptable,” and Sweden says it refuses to be “blackmailed.”
The Europeans are considering retaliatory tariffs totaling $107 billion on U.S. goods or responding with a so-called “trade bazooka,” imposing limits on U.S. businesses in Europe.
The U.S. administration sees Greenland as strategic to national security. Critics say the U.S. already operates a military base there, and forcing a takeover risks destabilizing NATO alliances.
Despite the backlash, the White House is not ruling out force, as Denmark sends additional troops to Greenland, raising the stakes in an already volatile standoff.
President Trump’s renewed push is sparking mixed reactions among U.S. lawmakers, with some pushing back against control of Greenland. Several Democrats and Republicans are concerned about his plan, warning that the latest escalation puts NATO at risk.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said, “If he wants to purchase Greenland, that’s one thing. But for him to militarily invade would turn article five of NATO on its very head, and in essence put us at war with NATO itself.”
Over the weekend, a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation visited the region, hoping to reassure Denmark and Greenland following the president’s threat to punish countries with higher tariffs if they don’t support him.
On “X”, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis called Trump’s tariff plan “bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies” while delegation member Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said the current rhetoric is causing concern across the Danish kingdom and he’s hoping to de-escalate the situation.
“We share real concern about Arctic security going forward. As the climate changes, as the sea ice retreats, as shipping routes change, there are legitimate reasons for us to explore ways to invest better in Arctic security broadly, both in the American Arctic and in our NATO partners and allies,” Coons said.
Senators like John Fetterman (D-PA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), however, see acquiring Greenland as a positive and “overwhelmingly in America’s interest.”
“Greenland has massive rare earth minerals and critical minerals; there are enormous economic benefits to America,” Cruz said. “But it’s also, like Alaska, it is located on the Arctic, which is a major potential theatre for military conflict with either Russia or China; it’s also critical for the golden dome and defending America from potential missile strikes.”
Coons and other lawmakers maintain there is no immediate security threat to Greenland, where the U.S. operates a military base under existing agreements.
Although Senate Majority Leader Thune and other Republicans have stated that taking Greenland is out of the question, they’ve avoided directly rebuking the president for his plan to possess the island.
