United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose escalating tariffs on goods from eight NATO member states, tying the move to his renewed push for the United States to acquire Greenland.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump said imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face tariffs starting at 10 per cent on February 1, rising to 25 per cent by June 1.
The president said the tariffs would remain in place until a deal is reached for what he described as the “complete and total purchase of Greenland,” suggesting the measures were a response to the presence of European troops on the island.
Trump argued that Greenland is critical to US national security and indicated that economic pressure could be used to force cooperation, echoing comments he made at the White House a day earlier.
The announcement has raised fresh concerns about strains within NATO, the 32-member alliance founded on collective defence. European leaders have warned that any attempt by the US to take Greenland by force could severely damage the alliance.
While the tariff threat may signal a shift away from military action, it has heightened economic tensions with European allies, who have consistently maintained that Greenland is not for sale.
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