Washington (Somalia Today) — President Donald Trump threatened Saturday to impose punitive new tariffs on eight European nations, casting the move as retribution for their refusal to entertain US ambitions to purchase Greenland—a dispute risking a major rift with key NATO allies.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced the United States would begin charging a 10 percent import tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1.
He warned the levy would jump to 25 percent on June 1 unless those countries accept a deal for what he called the “complete and total” purchase of Greenland by the United States.
Territorial ambitions
Trump has revived his long-running push for the vast Arctic island, arguing it holds growing strategic value as great-power competition expands northward. He has pointed to its location and mineral wealth, framing US control as a national security imperative.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, which handles defense and foreign affairs. While the island’s politicians broadly support eventual independence, both local leaders and Denmark have repeatedly rejected the idea of a US takeover.
The president’s tariff threat targets some of Washington’s closest partners, folding a territorial dispute directly into transatlantic trade. While Trump has used this tactic before to extract concessions, he has rarely deployed it against an alliance as central as NATO.
The rhetoric has already triggered public anger. In Copenhagen, more than 20,000 people rallied outside the US embassy chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and carrying “Hands off Greenland” banners, Reuters reported.
In Nuuk, thousands marched behind Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen waving Greenlandic flags, rejecting any US attempt to dictate the island’s future.
Demonstrators also mocked Trump with altered versions of his trademark red cap, displaying messages like “Make America Go Away,” according to reports.
Alliance under strain
The dispute has begun to reshape security postures in the Arctic.
According to Reuters, several European countries have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland at Denmark’s request, as Copenhagen seeks to signal resolve and coordinate with allies amid growing concern over Trump’s language.
A US congressional delegation traveled to Copenhagen this week in an effort to “lower the temperature,” after Trump refused to rule out using force to obtain the territory.
European leaders have warned that any US military move against territory tied to a NATO member would shatter alliance norms.
Trump’s tariff ultimatum adds a fresh layer of pressure, forcing European capitals to weigh trade retaliation against the need to prevent the alliance from fracturing.
The White House has not yet released details on the scope of the tariffs, specific product categories, or potential exemptions—variables that will determine both the economic fallout and the political response across the Atlantic.
