Tariff announcement in the Greenland dispute What does Trump's unprecedented move mean for Europe and Nato?
Donald Trump escalates the conflict over Greenland: the US President announces punitive tariffs against European supporters of the island. Answers to the most important questions.
17.01.2026, 22:31
18.01.2026, 06:38
dpa
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- US President Donald Trump has announced punitive tariffs of ten percent against eight European countries that oppose his Greenland plans.
- If no agreement is reached by June 1, the tariffs will rise to 25 percent.
- Criticism from the affected countries and the EU has been strong in some cases.
- With his tariff announcement, Trump is escalating the Greenland dispute and once again offending his European allies.
US President Donald Trump wants to draw a line under the Greenland dispute with punitive tariffs and force a sale to the USA. The European economy would be hit hard by the new, additional tariffs, which are to apply from February 1.
Trump is annoyed that soldiers from European countries have been sent to Greenland. He wants to incorporate Greenland into the USA. These are the answers to the most important questions:
What exactly has Trump announced?
From February 1, additional tariffs of 10 percent will be levied on goods sent to the USA. From June 1, the tariff rate is then to be increased to 25 percent - the tariffs are to apply until an agreement is reached on the complete sale of the Arctic island to the USA. The move would hit the European economy hard. Currently, most EU exports to America are already subject to a 15 percent tariff.
Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Finland are affected by the new additional tariff announcement. These are all NATO allies of the USA. Trump's move is unprecedented.
What is the reaction of the Europeans?
The criticism has been quite clear: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa warned of an undermining of transatlantic relations and a "downward spiral". Denmark was surprised by Trump's threat, announced Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
According to the chairman of the conservative EPP group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, Trump's threats call into question the trade agreement the EU concluded with the USA last year. "The EPP is in favor of the EU-US trade agreement, but in view of Donald Trump's threats regarding Greenland, approval is currently not possible," the CSU politician wrote in the online service X. "The 0 percent tariffs on US products must be suspended."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in an X post that he would not be blackmailed. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of "unacceptable" tariff threats that had no place in the current discussion.
And even British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who actually has a good relationship with Trump, said it was "completely wrong" to punish allies with tariffs. He wanted to discuss this directly with the US government.
Meanwhile, the EU has called an emergency meeting for Sunday. Following the latest announcements by the USA, an extraordinary meeting at ambassador level has been convened for the afternoon, the current Cypriot Council Presidency announced. It initially remained unclear whether possible countermeasures would be discussed.
What options does Europe have?
One conceivable option for concrete measures would be counter-tariffs and the restriction of market access. At the end of 2023, the EU gave itself an instrument to defend itself against trade pressure. According to the corresponding regulation, this concerns a situation in which a third country attempts to persuade the EU or a member state to make a certain decision through trade measures.
The range of possible countermeasures is therefore broad: Customs duties, import and export restrictions for goods and services or various restrictions on access to the EU market. All of this can be decided by the EU Commission. However, the corresponding regulation also states that the countermeasures are only a last resort and must be proportionate.
At the same time, the NATO allies from Europe will probably do a lot to ensure that the dispute with Trump does not escalate any further. After all, NATO needs the USA as an ally.
Why is Trump turning against the European states?
Apparently, the US President has recently seen it as a provocation that several European countries have sent a number of soldiers to the Arctic island in recent days for a fact-finding mission ahead of a military exercise.
This is being led by Denmark. The US President addresses this in his post on Truth Social: The now punished countries had traveled to the island "for unknown purposes".
Why are the soldiers on Greenland in the first place?
According to the German Federal Ministry of Defense, the purpose is to "explore the possibilities of ensuring security with regard to Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic". This is taking place at the invitation and under the leadership of alliance partner Denmark. "The aim is to gain a well-founded picture on the ground for further discussions and planning within NATO."
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Policy Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Wednesday - and left without an agreement.
What message is Trump sending to Europe?
A very clear one: in the "game" - as Trump calls it, meaning a trial of strength with Russia and China - only the USA can play successfully. The tenor is: Europe cannot compete with such opponents. In his annexation plans, the US president assumes that China and Russia want Greenland in the North Atlantic. He cites US national security interests as the reason for the purchase claim.
Trump is offending the Europeans with his approach and exposing them. He has been degrading Denmark in his speeches for days by describing the country's security precautions for Greenland with the presence of two dogsleds.
The largely autonomous Greenland is part of Denmark's territory. Four-fifths of the island is covered in ice and it is six times the size of Germany, but has a population of just under 57,000. The island is of interest because of its wealth of raw materials and as a base for military control of the Arctic.
Is that true about the Russian and Chinese presence?
China worries some Western military leaders. Alexus G. Grynkewich, commander-in-chief of the NATO forces in Europe, recently commented on possible threats from China, saying that the country is becoming increasingly aggressive, especially in the far north. The Chinese were sending research vessels to the region, which were then presumably carrying out military explorations under a scientific guise. During the most recent ice-free season, ships stayed off the north coast of Alaska for an exceptionally long time. There are also joint patrols with the Russians.
The head of the Arctic Command, Søren Andersen, told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND): "I've been the commander up here for two and a half years. I haven't seen any Russian or Chinese warships here." Of course, China and Russia are working together in the Arctic Ocean, but not in the vicinity of Greenland. "Rather in the direction of Alaska, in Russian waters, for example in the area of the Bering Strait - but not here."
