President Trump said Saturday that he would impose 10% tariffs on countries that have sent military forces into Greenland amid his push to annex the Arctic island.
Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post that the tariffs will be levied against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland and take effect on Feb. 1, 2026. All eight countries are members of NATO.
The tariffs will be increased to 25% on June 1, Mr. Trump wrote, and remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
There was no forewarning from official channels to U.S. allies and NATO partners before Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social Saturday, two European diplomats told CBS News. Officials in those allied nations feel alienated, frustrated and see this as a potential breaking point in the U.S.-Europe relationship, multiple diplomats said. Mr. Trump is scheduled to travel on Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he likely will run into the European leaders he just threatened with tariffs.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, criticized the tariffs early Saturday afternoon.
“This response to our own allies for sending a small number of troops to Greenland for training is bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies,” he wrote on X. “It’s great for Putin, Xi and other adversaries who want to see NATO divided. The fact that a small handful of “advisors” are actively pushing for coercive action to seize territory of an ally is beyond stupid. It hurts the legacy of President Trump and undercuts all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years.”
CBS News senior foreign correspondent Liz Palmer described the Danish soldiers as a “token force” and said the military presence “is a signal to Washington that if Trump is worried about Arctic security, his NATO allies are willing to do their part in helping to look after it.” On Truth Social, Mr. Trump accused the countries of having “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown.”
“These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” Mr. Trump wrote. “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.”
Mr. Trump has said he believes the U.S. needs to acquire the island for national security reasons. He has said the island is vital for the Golden Dome missile defense system he intends to build, and has expressed concern about Russia or China acquiring Greenland. The sparsely populated island is the location of the northernmost U.S. military base and has reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. Its northern position also means it is near valuable shipping routes that may become even more useful as warm temperatures melt sea ice in the area.
Leaders of the semi-autonomous Danish territory have repeatedly stated that the island is not for sale, and residents of Greenland have protested a potential acquisition.
Mr. Trump’s post came as a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation attempted to reassure Greenlandic and Danish leaders during a visit to the Arctic island. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, said that Greenland needs to be viewed as a U.S. ally, “not as an asset.”
On Friday, Mr. Trump said he was considering tariffs on countries that “did not go along with” his plans to acquire Greenland, though he did not offer specifics.
Greenlandic and Danish leaders met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday to discuss long-term security in Greenland. Denmark and the U.S. still have “fundamental” disagreements about Greenland’s future, Denmark’s foreign minister said that afternoon, but a working group to discuss cooperation was established. A Danish official told CBS that Denmark offered more security access and greater defense investment. The official added that Denmark has set two things as a red line: territorial integrity and self-determination for Greenlanders.
The White House has not ruled out the use of military force to take the island, despite warnings from Denmark that doing so would be seen as a threat to the NATO alliance.
