Overview
- President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland starting February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, to remain until a “full and absolute” U.S. purchase of Greenland is agreed.
- European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the tariffs would damage transatlantic ties, and European Council chief António Costa said EU governments are coordinating a joint response.
- Denmark is increasing its military presence in Greenland, and allied nations including Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, the UK, Germany and Slovenia plan personnel for NATO-coordinated exercises, a step von der Leyen publicly backed.
- U.S. officials defended the effort as lawful and urged calm, with UN envoy Mike Waltz citing historical precedents for territorial purchases and NATO envoy Matthew Whitaker criticizing what he called Europe’s overreaction.
- Political leaders across Europe—including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Sweden’s Ulf Kristersson and Finland’s Alexander Stubb—criticized the tariffs, while EU foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas warned the rift could distract NATO from supporting Ukraine.