Overview
- President Trump announced staged tariffs on eight European NATO partners—10% from February 1 and 25% from June 1—linking them to U.S. control or influence over Greenland.
- The European Council scheduled a special leaders’ meeting for late this week to coordinate a response, including possible use of the EU’s Anti‑Coercion Instrument with measures such as retaliatory tariffs, procurement limits, and trade restrictions.
- Previously prepared EU countermeasures worth roughly €93 billion could be reactivated and start in early February if the Commission allows a suspension to lapse.
- The European Parliament pulled a US‑EU tariff deal from its agenda, and the eight targeted countries issued a joint statement condemning the threats and affirming solidarity with Denmark and Greenland; Germany’s small Bundeswehr reconnaissance team has departed Greenland after completing its mission.
- NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Trump as Davos looms as a likely venue for talks, while U.S. Senate leaders from both parties criticized the move and Democrat Chuck Schumer said he would seek to block the tariffs by law.