US Tariffs / At White House Roundtable, Trump Pushes Greenland Plan With Tariff Warning
·5 months ago·2 min read
Key Points
- US President warns countries opposing his Greenland acquisition could face trade penalties.
- White House says acquiring Greenland is a national security priority, with military action on the table.
- Danish and Greenland leaders firmly oppose the plan, citing sovereignty and allegiance to NATO and the EU.
Washington, Jan 17: US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his controversial plan to acquire Greenland, calling the semi-autonomous Danish territory a matter of national security.
Speaking at a health roundtable at the White House, Trump said, “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
The remarks come amid renewed US interest in the Arctic following a military operation in Venezuela that ousted President Nicolas Maduro. Trump has revived his ambition to claim Greenland, citing growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region. Moscow dismissed the US threat as a “myth.”
The White House later reinforced Trump’s stance, saying that acquiring Greenland remains a “national security priority” and that military options are not off the table. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal,” a statement read.
Despite a high-level meeting between Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk ending without a breakthrough, all parties agreed to continue dialogue. Meanwhile, French and German troops have been more visible in Greenland, a move interpreted as reassurance to the US. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, however, dismissed the European presence as irrelevant to Trump’s decision-making.
Denmark has firmly rejected the idea of a US acquisition. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “This is out of the question. It’s not what we want in Denmark, nor in Greenland and it runs counter to all international rules. It infringes on sovereignty.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also reiterated loyalty to Denmark and its allies. “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU,” Nielsen declared.
The escalating rhetoric underscores the geopolitical tensions surrounding the Arctic, where strategic minerals and military positioning have drawn increasing global interest.
Speaking at a health roundtable at the White House, Trump said, “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
The remarks come amid renewed US interest in the Arctic following a military operation in Venezuela that ousted President Nicolas Maduro. Trump has revived his ambition to claim Greenland, citing growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region. Moscow dismissed the US threat as a “myth.”
The White House later reinforced Trump’s stance, saying that acquiring Greenland remains a “national security priority” and that military options are not off the table. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal,” a statement read.
Despite a high-level meeting between Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk ending without a breakthrough, all parties agreed to continue dialogue. Meanwhile, French and German troops have been more visible in Greenland, a move interpreted as reassurance to the US. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, however, dismissed the European presence as irrelevant to Trump’s decision-making.
Denmark has firmly rejected the idea of a US acquisition. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “This is out of the question. It’s not what we want in Denmark, nor in Greenland and it runs counter to all international rules. It infringes on sovereignty.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also reiterated loyalty to Denmark and its allies. “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU,” Nielsen declared.
The escalating rhetoric underscores the geopolitical tensions surrounding the Arctic, where strategic minerals and military positioning have drawn increasing global interest.
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