Donald Trump has threatened to impose punitive tariffs on countries that oppose his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, escalating a dispute that has alarmed European allies and raised fears of a direct confrontation within NATO.
The US president made the remarks during a wide-ranging address at the White House, arguing that Greenland is essential to American national security and warning that economic pressure could be used against countries that refuse to “go along” with his plans. The comments came as senior US officials openly suggested that a deal to transfer the Arctic territory to Washington “should and will be made”.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and any attempt to seize it by force would place the US in conflict with a NATO ally, potentially triggering the alliance’s collective defence clause.
🗺️ Trump raises tariffs threat over Greenland
Speaking at a packed healthcare event in the White House East Room, Donald Trump told an audience of lawmakers and industry figures that he was prepared to use tariffs as leverage against countries opposing US control of Greenland.
Trump said he might impose trade penalties on nations that did not support Washington’s position, arguing: “We need Greenland for national security.” He pointed to previous threats against European allies over drug pricing, recalling that he had warned France and Germany of 25% tariffs unless they raised the cost of prescription medicines.
“You have to get your drug prices up,” Trump said he had told French president Emmanuel Macron, before adding that Denmark could face similar treatment. “We may do that for Greenland too,” he said.
It is the second time this week Trump has invoked tariffs as a foreign policy weapon, having earlier threatened to impose a 25% levy on countries that continue to trade with Iran amid its domestic crackdown.
🧾 US envoy says deal ‘should and will be made’
The president’s remarks were reinforced by comments from Jeff Landry, Trump’s special envoy on Greenland, who said Washington expected to secure control of the island through negotiations.
“I do believe that there’s a deal that should and will be made once this plays out,” Landry told Fox News. He added that Trump was “serious” and had already “laid the markers down” with Denmark.
Landry said the next phase would involve Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance attempting to reach an agreement with Danish and Greenlandic leaders.
Landry also confirmed plans to visit Greenland in March, a move that has further heightened tensions in Copenhagen and Nuuk.
⚖️ NATO implications and allied response
Greenland’s status makes the dispute uniquely sensitive. While the territory governs many of its own domestic affairs, defence and foreign policy remain the responsibility of Denmark, a founding member of NATO.
Under NATO’s Article 5, an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all. Danish officials have warned that any US military action against Greenland would fundamentally undermine the transatlantic alliance.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has described Greenland’s defence as a “common concern” for NATO, as allied forces began deploying personnel to the territory this week. Denmark’s defence ministry has said it would defend Greenland in the event of an invasion.
European allies, including Canada and several EU states, have publicly stated that only Denmark and Greenland can decide the territory’s future.
🤝 Congressional delegation shows solidarity
As Trump intensified his rhetoric, a bipartisan group of 11 US lawmakers travelled to Copenhagen in a show of support for Denmark and Greenland. The delegation included Republican senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski, as well as Democratic senator Chris Coons.
The group met Danish and Greenlandic leaders, including Frederiksen and Greenland’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and held talks at Christiansborg Palace, where the Greenlandic flag, Erfalasorput, was flown.
Arriving for meetings, Democratic congressman Steny Hoyer told Danish broadcaster TV 2: “Keep the faith. You’ve got a lot of people with you.”
At a joint press conference, Coons thanked Denmark for “225 years of being a good and trusted ally and partner” and said the delegation hoped to “lower the temperature” surrounding Greenland.
Murkowski said most Americans did not support a US takeover of the territory, adding: “Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset.”
🗣️ Conflicting accounts after high-stakes talks
Diplomatic confusion deepened following a high-level meeting earlier this week between Rubio, Vance and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the Danish and Greenlandic delegations had agreed to “continue technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland”.
That account was immediately disputed. Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said no such agreement had been reached, stating instead that a working group had been formed to explore whether US security concerns in the Arctic could be addressed without any change in sovereignty.
Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt said Leavitt had not been present at the meeting and told Sermitsiaq newspaper: “There is a lot of work ahead, the situation is still very uncertain, but we have a new channel where we can talk directly to each other.”
🚨 Fear and uncertainty in Greenland
The escalating rhetoric has had tangible effects in Greenland itself. Residents in the capital, Nuuk, have told local media they are increasingly fearful, with some saying they are monitoring the skies and seas themselves amid concerns about a possible US intervention.
In the absence of detailed emergency preparedness guidance, some Greenlanders said they had begun discussing evacuation plans and what they would do if foreign forces attempted to seize key infrastructure.
Denmark has announced additional funding to strengthen Greenland’s emergency preparedness. Torsten Schack Pedersen, Denmark’s minister for public safety and emergency preparedness, said: “It is important that we stand together.”
🧭 Strategic stakes in the Arctic
Greenland occupies a critical position in the Arctic, hosting key US military infrastructure and sitting astride emerging shipping routes as polar ice retreats. Analysts say the territory’s strategic importance has grown as competition intensifies between the US, Russia and China.
However, experts also warn that coercive tactics against allies risk destabilising NATO at a moment of heightened global insecurity.
For now, no formal proposal to transfer Greenland to US control has been made, and Denmark has repeatedly said the territory is not for sale. Trump’s tariffs threat marks a significant escalation, signalling that the dispute is no longer confined to rhetoric but is increasingly entangled with global trade and alliance politics.
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