Trump imposes 10% tariff on UK, France, Denmark other European countries for opposing US control of Greenland

Trump further said, “These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question.”

The US president has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to American security due to its strategic location and mineral deposits and has not ruled out deploying military to occupy the territory. After Denmark’s request, European nations this week sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland.

The European military deployment in the island is meant to help Denmark prepare for military exercises and it sent a strong message to the White House of support.

.@POTUS: "I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland — because we need Greenland for national security." pic.twitter.com/yQYjPTpx39

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 16, 2026

Though the tariff imposition on the eight European countries by Trump administration brings a potentially drastic escalation of a showdown between Trump and NATO allies, which could strain the western military alliance formed in 1949.

Protesters in Demark and Greenland protested against Trump administration’s demands of acquiring the control of the island and said that it must be left to the people of Greenland to decide its own future.

Prominent European Union countries have backed Greenland, which is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, and cautioned the White House that a US military’s take over of a territory in NATO could lead to the collapse of NATO which the Washington leads.

(with inputs from agencies)