16 January 2026 - U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked international controversy by suggesting that the United States may impose tariffs on countries that do not support his administration’s plans concerning Greenland, a vast Arctic territory and geopolitically significant region. The provocative remarks, made at the White House on Friday, underline a deepening diplomatic rift with key allies, particularly Denmark and members of the European Union, over the future of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Speaking during a White House event originally focused on domestic issues, President Trump insisted that Greenland is critical to U.S. national security and hinted at using economic pressure if countries do not align with Washington’s ambitions. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” he said, though he did not provide further detail on how such trade measures would be implemented or which nations might be targeted.
Greenland, though sparsely populated, holds substantial strategic value due to its location in the Arctic and its significant deposits of natural resources. Trump’s renewed focus on the territory follows sustained concerns in Washington about great-power competition in the High North, particularly with Russia and China.
However, the idea of imposing tariffs to pursue geopolitical goals has alarmed European counterparts, who view the move as both unprecedented and potentially damaging to longstanding alliances. Denmark, which exercises sovereignty over Greenland, has reaffirmed its position that the island is not for sale and that its future should be determined by the Greenlandic people in accordance with international norms.
European Union officials have also warned that threatening trade measures could jeopardise broader economic cooperation with the United States. France’s leadership, in particular, has stressed that any attempt to undermine Danish sovereignty could have serious repercussions for transatlantic trade and diplomatic relations.
The tariff threat comes amid separate visits by a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers to Copenhagen earlier this week. The delegation’s mission was to ease diplomatic tensions and reassure Danish and Greenlandic officials of continued respect for NATO’s collective security commitments. Several members of Congress have criticised Trump’s rhetoric, emphasising that coercive tactics are not the way to strengthen alliances.
Political leaders in Greenland have likewise rejected the notion of ceding control to the United States, insisting that self-determination and respect for their unique cultural identity remain paramount. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and other regional officials have reiterated that decisions about the territory’s future rest with its residents, not external powers.
Analysts argue that the dispute over Greenland highlights broader tensions within Nato and the Western Alliance. While the United States views the Arctic as an essential strategic frontier, many of its allies see the use of tariffs and the threat of economic coercion as an unnecessary escalation that could weaken collective security arrangements at a time of global uncertainty.
As the situation develops, diplomatic efforts continue on multiple fronts to prevent the disagreement from fracturing vital international partnerships, and world leaders are watching closely how Washington’s stance will influence Arctic geopolitics in the months ahead.
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