Mette Frederiksen has issued a blunt warning to Donald Trump after he threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on the UK and seven other European countries unless they back his demand for US control of Greenland.
The Danish prime minister said Europe would not submit to economic pressure, as tensions escalate over Trump’s attempt to force allies into accepting what he has described as the “complete and total purchase” of the Arctic territory.
Her comments came after Trump announced plans to slap import tariffs on Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, triggering a coordinated response from European leaders.
🌍 Trump escalates Greenland standoff with tariff threat
On Saturday, Trump said the United States would impose a 10% import tax from February 1, rising to 25% from June 1, on countries opposing his plan to take control of Greenland.
The tariffs would remain in place, Trump said, “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.
Greenland has been a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark for more than 300 years. Its government and population have repeatedly rejected any suggestion of a takeover by a foreign power.
Trump has argued that the island is strategically vital and claims Russia and China pose an imminent threat assertions that Denmark, Greenland and NATO allies strongly dispute.
🏛️ ‘Europe will not be blackmailed’
In a statement released on Sunday, Frederiksen said Denmark had received overwhelming backing from across the continent.
“I am pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed,” she said.
“At the same time, it is now even clearer that this is an issue that reaches far beyond our own borders.”
She added that Denmark was not seeking confrontation with Washington.
“We want to co-operate, and it is not we who are seeking conflict,” Frederiksen said.
🤝 Joint statement warns of ‘dangerous downward spiral’
The UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland issued a rare joint statement condemning Trump’s move and warning of broader consequences.
The statement said the countries were “committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest” and expressed full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” it said.
“We stand ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we firmly uphold.”
🇬🇧 UK leaders back Denmark and Greenland
Keir Starmer said Trump’s approach was “completely wrong” and reiterated Britain’s position that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.
“Our position is clear,” Starmer said. “Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes.”
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy described the UK’s backing for Denmark and Greenland as “non-negotiable”.
Opposition figures also condemned the tariff threat, with several warning it could spark a wider trade conflict between the US and Europe.
⚠️ White House claims US has ‘right’ to annex Greenland
The confrontation intensified on Friday after White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed the United States had a right to annex Greenland because Denmark could not defend it.
Speaking on Fox News, Miller said Denmark was “a tiny country with a tiny economy and a tiny military” and argued that territorial control depended on the ability to defend and develop land.
“Under every understanding of law that has existed about territorial control for 500 years, to control a territory you have to be able to defend a territory,” he said.
Denmark, Greenland and European leaders strongly rejected the claim. Using force against sovereign territory is illegal under international law except in self-defence or with explicit UN authorisation.
⚖️ Legal and historical norms challenged
Miller’s remarks alarmed diplomats and legal experts, as they appeared to openly dismiss the post-war international rules-based order established after the Allied victory in World War II.
Greenland officials last week described Trump’s rhetoric as unacceptable, while protests have taken place in Denmark opposing any US takeover.
European leaders have repeatedly stressed that Greenland “belongs to its people” and that its status is not open to negotiation.
❄️ Arctic security and rising tensions
Trump’s administration has increasingly framed the Arctic as the next major geopolitical battleground. Miller said the “new domain of international competition is going to be polar”, citing shipping routes, natural resources and military positioning.
Several NATO allies have already deployed additional personnel to Greenland in recent days as a precautionary measure, further raising the stakes.
Despite US claims, European governments insist that Arctic security can be addressed through cooperation rather than coercion.
📉 Transatlantic relationship under strain
The tariff threat marks one of the most serious rifts between Washington and its European allies in years, with diplomats warning it could damage trade, defence cooperation and NATO unity.
For Denmark and its supporters, the issue has become a test of whether smaller nations can resist pressure from larger powers.
As Frederiksen made clear, Europe’s answer – for now – is no.
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