Overview
- President Trump announced a 10% U.S. import tariff from February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, on goods from the UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France and Sweden until a “full and final” U.S. purchase of Greenland is agreed.
- EU ambassadors meet Sunday at 16:00 GMT to coordinate a joint response after European Commission and Council chiefs warned the tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations.
- Denmark has reinforced its presence in Greenland and launched Operation Arctic Resilience with participating troops or training from Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, the UK, Germany and Slovenia.
- European leaders called the move unacceptable or “blackmail,” including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Germany’s vice chancellor, while Italy’s Giorgia Meloni labeled the tariff plan a mistake and said she spoke with Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as NATO begins work on the issue.
- U.S. Republican lawmakers Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis and Rep. Don Bacon criticized the tariff strategy as harmful to allies, and Denmark’s foreign minister said most Americans do not share Trump’s aim to acquire Greenland.