In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that NATO had been urging Denmark for the past two decades to counter Russian threats in and around Greenland but that the Danish government had failed to act. “NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done,” he wrote, signalling an escalation in Washington’s stance.
Trump’s comments came amid rising tensions between the United States and the European Union following his announcement of new tariffs on countries that have openly backed Denmark’s position on Greenland. The sharp move has triggered serious concern within the EU, which is now considering the possible use of its most powerful trade retaliation mechanism, known as the Anti-Coercion Instrument.
If deployed, the mechanism would allow the EU to impose wide-ranging restrictions, including limits on investment flows, access to public procurement markets and protections related to intellectual property, against countries accused of using economic pressure for political ends. This would mark the first time the European bloc has seriously contemplated activating this tool.
On Saturday, Trump announced that the United States would impose a 10 per cent tariff starting February 1 on imports from several European countries, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The announcement immediately sparked emergency discussions among EU member states in Brussels, as officials assessed both immediate countermeasures and the long-term implications for transatlantic relations.
Following those consultations, French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe must be prepared to respond firmly, suggesting that the EU should consider using its strongest available trade response. He described the situation as one that could warrant the first-ever use of the bloc’s so-called “trade bazooka”.
Trump has repeatedly stated that he will accept nothing short of full ownership of Greenland, which remains an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty. He has warned that economic pressure, including escalating tariffs, would continue until the United States is allowed to acquire the island, which he has described as vital to American security interests.
Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected Trump’s position. Leaders in Copenhagen and Nuuk have consistently said that Greenland is not for sale and that the territory has no desire to become part of the United States, underscoring that its future will be decided by its own people.
