Trump says he will impose 10% tariffs on countries that send military forces to Greenland

President Trump said Saturday he would impose 10% tariffs on countries that have sent military forces to Greenland amid his attempt to annex the Arctic island.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that the tariffs will be imposed on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland and will take effect on February 1, 2026. All eight countries are members of NATO.

The tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1, Trump wrote, and will remain in place “until an agreement is reached for the complete and complete purchase of Greenland.”

There was no warning from official channels to US allies and NATO partners before Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday, two European diplomats told News themezone. Officials in those allied nations feel alienated, frustrated and see this as a possible breaking point in the relationship between the United States and Europe, several diplomats said. Trump is scheduled to travel Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he will likely meet with European leaders he just threatened with tariffs.

News themezone foreign correspondent Liz Palmer described the Danish soldiers as a “symbolic force” and said the military presence “is a signal to Washington that if Trump is concerned about Arctic security, his NATO allies are willing to do their part to help take care of it.” In Truth Social, Trump accused the countries of having “traveled to Greenland, for purposes unknown.”

“These countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put into play a level of risk that is neither sustainable nor sustainable,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, it is imperative that, to protect global peace and security, firm measures be taken so that this potentially dangerous situation ends quickly and without hesitation.”

In a statement Saturday night, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Senate Democratic lawmakers would introduce legislation to block “these tariffs before they do more harm to the American economy and our allies in Europe.”

“Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs have already driven up prices and hurt our economy, and now he’s only making things worse,” Schumer wrote. “It is incredible that he wants to double down on his stupidity by imposing tariffs on our closest allies in his quixotic goal of taking over Greenland.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, also criticized the tariffs Saturday afternoon.

“This response to our own allies for sending a small number of troops to Greenland for training is bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies,” he wrote on to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years.

Thousands of Greenlanders, including Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, participated in a protest march Saturday against Trump from Greenland’s capital city of Nuuk to the U.S. consulate, the News reported.

“I thought this day couldn’t get any worse, but it just did,” Malik Dollerup-Scheibel, 21, said after the AP briefed him on Trump’s tariff announcement. “It just shows that he now has no remorse for any kind of human being.”

Thousands of people also protested in front of the US embassy in Copenhagen.

European leaders react to Trump’s tariff threats

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“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context,” Macron said. “Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner if they are confirmed. We will ensure that European sovereignty is respected.”

Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European nations “comes as a surprise,” Denmark’s foreign minister said in a statement to Agence France-Presse on Saturday.

“The objective of the increased military presence in Greenland, to which the president refers, is precisely to improve security in the Arctic,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. “We are in close contact with the European Commission and our other partners on this matter.”

Other European leaders are also holding talks to form a joint response, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. In a statement to News on Saturday, Kristersson said: “We will not be intimidated.”

“I will always defend my country and our allied neighbors,” he added, stressing that this is “a European issue.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that NATO allies should work together, adding that he will speak directly to the Trump administration about tariff threats.

“Taking tariffs on allies to achieve the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong,” Starmer said in a statement.

The ambassadors of the 27 member countries of the European Union will meet in an emergency on Sunday. The meeting was called by Cyprus, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU, according to Reuters.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, said in a joint statement that Trump’s tariffs would “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

“Europe will remain united, coordinated and committed to defending its sovereignty,” they said, adding that “the EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.”

“Dialogue remains essential and we are committed to building on the process initiated last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States,” they said.

In a post on LinkedIn, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister of Business and Mineral Resources, praised the response from European leaders.

“I am amazed to witness the first responses from the affected countries,” Nathanielsen wrote. “I am grateful and hopeful that diplomacy and alliance will prevail.”

Trump’s interest in Greenland

Trump has said he believes the United States needs to acquire the island to national security reasons. He has said that the island is vital for the Golden Dome missile defense system intends to build and has expressed concern about Russia or China acquire Greenland. The sparsely populated island is the location of the northernmost US military base and has reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. Its northern position also means that it is close valuable shipping routes That may become even more useful as warm temperatures melt sea ice in the area.

The leaders of the semi-autonomous Danish territory have repeatedly stated that the island is not for sale, and the residents of Greenland have protested a possible acquisition.

Trump’s post emerged as a bipartisan US congressional delegation attempted to reassure Greenlandic and Danish leaders during a visit to the Arctic island. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Greenland should be seen as a U.S. ally, “not an asset.”

On Friday, Trump said he was considering rates about countries that “did not agree” with his plans to acquire Greenland, although he did not offer details.

Greenlandic and Danish leaders met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday to discuss long-term security in Greenland. Denmark and the United States still have “fundamental” disagreements over the future of Greenland, Denmark’s Foreign Minister said that afternoon, but a working group has been established to discuss cooperation. A Danish official told News that Denmark offered more access to security and greater defense investment. The official added that Denmark has set two things as a red line: territorial integrity and the self-determination of Greenlanders.

The White House has not ruled out using military force to take the island, despite warnings from Denmark that doing so would be seen as a threat to the NATO alliance.