Trump Warns Of New Tariffs Opposing U.S. Bid For Greenland

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States may impose tariffs on countries that oppose his ambition to annex Greenland, intensifying an already controversial foreign policy push.

Speaking during a White House meeting on rural healthcare, Trump said he “may put a tariff on countries if they don’t agree with Greenland,” referring to the vast Arctic territory that governs itself but remains under Danish control. While he was not able to specify which nations could be targeted or what legal authority he would use, the statement signals a willingness to use economic pressure to advance the plan.

Greenland and Denmark have both firmly rejected the idea of annexation. Opposition has also emerged within the United States, where lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the legal, diplomatic, and security consequences.

As Trump made his remarks, a bipartisan delegation from Congress was visiting Greenland to demonstrate support for the territory. The 11-member group met with Greenlandic MPs, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenland’s leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Several Republican lawmakers on the trip voiced skepticism about Trump’s calls to acquire the island.

Senator Chris Coons, who led the delegation, said the visit aimed to listen to local concerns and bring them back to Washington “to lower the temperature.”

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is critical to U.S. national security, warning that America would obtain it “the easy way or the hard way.” He has cited the island’s strategic location between North America and the Arctic, as well as its wealth of natural resources and value for missile detection and maritime monitoring.

The United States already maintains a permanent military presence at Greenland’s Pituffik base and, under existing agreements with Denmark, can deploy additional forces as needed. Still, Trump insists the U.S. must “own” Greenland to properly defend it from potential Russian or Chinese threats.

Denmark has warned that any military action would undermine NATO, the alliance built on mutual defense among member states. European allies have rallied behind Denmark, emphasizing that Arctic security should be a shared NATO responsibility. Several countries, including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK, have sent small reconnaissance forces to Greenland.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that land, air, and sea assets would soon be deployed.

Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz said recent talks with U.S. lawmakers made her “hopeful,” adding, “We need friends. We need allies.” She described the situation as fluid, noting that pressure from Washington has continued since 2019.

In Washington, legislative efforts are moving in opposite directions. A bipartisan bill seeks to block any attempt to annex Greenland, while a rival Republican proposal supports the idea.

Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, said the U.S. should negotiate directly with Greenland’s leaders rather than Denmark. “The president is serious,” Landry told Fox News. “He’s laid the markers down. Now it’s a matter of making a deal.”