United States President Donald Trump has promised to steadily enhance tariffs on European nations which have opposed his transfer to accumulate Greenland, escalating a dispute over the semiautonomous Danish territory he has lengthy coveted.
So what’s behind Trump’s push to manage Greenland, the world’s largest island, and the way have Washington’s NATO allies responded?
What’s Trump’s tariff menace over Greenland?
In a publish on his Fact Social platform on Saturday, Trump wrote that he has subsidised Denmark and different European Union nations by not charging them tariffs.
“Now, after Centuries, it’s time for Denmark to offer again – World Peace is at stake! China and Russia need Greenland, and there’s not a factor that Denmark can do about it.”
Trump added that “the Nationwide Safety of america, and the World at giant, is at stake.”
Trump wrote that beginning on February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland will probably be charged a ten p.c tariff on all their exports to the US.
On June 1, the tariff is to be elevated to 25 p.c, he mentioned. “This Tariff will probably be due and payable till such time as a Deal is reached for the Full and Whole buy of Greenland,” Trump wrote.
Trump moreover wrote: “The USA has been making an attempt to do that transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good purpose, however Denmark has at all times refused.”
Is Trump the primary US president to hunt management of Greenland?
Leaders in Denmark and Greenland have constantly insisted that Greenland is just not on the market. Previously few days, Greenlanders have been protesting in opposition to Trump’s needs to accumulate Greenland. But Trump has pushed for buying the Arctic territory since his first time period, and he isn’t the primary US president to pursue such a purchase order.
After shopping for Alaska from Russia in 1867, then-Secretary of State William H Seward unsuccessfully sought to purchase Greenland. Throughout World Warfare II, the US occupied Greenland after Germany’s invasion of Denmark and constructed navy and radio amenities there. It maintains a everlasting presence as we speak on the Pituffik Area Base within the northwest.
In 1946, whereas Greenland was nonetheless a Danish colony, President Harry S Truman secretly supplied Denmark $100m for the island, however Copenhagen refused. The proposal turned public solely in 1991.
Americans don’t assist Washington buying Greenland, polls have indicated. This week, a Reuters/Ipsos ballot of US residents confirmed lower than one in 5 respondents assist the concept of buying Greenland.
Why does Trump need Greenland?
The situation and pure assets of the island make it strategically essential for Washington.
Greenland is geographically a part of North America, situated between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. It’s dwelling to 56,000 residents, largely Indigenous Inuit individuals.
Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, is nearer to New York Metropolis – about 2,900km (1,800 miles) away – than the Danish capital, Copenhagen, situated 3,500km (2,174 miles) to the east.
It’s a NATO territory by way of Denmark and an EU-associated abroad territory with residents holding EU citizenship.
Its location provides the shortest air and sea routes between North America and Europe, making it strategically important for US navy operations and missile early-warning programs. Washington has additionally sought extra radar protection across the Greenland-Iceland-UK hole to watch Russian and Chinese language actions.
Greenland is wealthy in minerals, together with many of the EU’s listed “important uncooked supplies”, however there isn’t any oil and gasoline extraction, and lots of Indigenous residents oppose large-scale mining. The financial system primarily relies on fishing.
As local weather change opens up extra of the Arctic, main powers such because the US, Canada, China and Russia are more and more fascinated by its untapped assets.
How has Europe responded to Trump’s tariff threats?
All 27 members of the EU will convene for an emergency assembly on Sunday to debate their response to Trump’s menace.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded in a publish on X on Saturday, saying: “Our place on Greenland could be very clear – it’s a part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,” Starmer wrote.
“Making use of tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective safety of NATO allies is totally improper. We’ll in fact be pursuing this straight with the US administration.”
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen additionally responded in an X publish, saying: “The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the individuals of Greenland. Dialogue stays important, and we’re dedicated to constructing on the method begun already final week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the US.
“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and threat a harmful downward spiral. Europe will stay united, coordinated, and dedicated to upholding its sovereignty.”
European Council President Antonio Costa shared a publish an identical to von der Leyen’s on his personal X account.
EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X: “China and Russia have to be having a area day. They’re those who profit from divisions amongst Allies.”
Kallas added: “Tariffs threat making Europe and america poorer and undermine our shared prosperity.”
David van Weel, the international minister of the Netherlands, mentioned throughout an interview on Dutch tv on Sunday: “It’s blackmail what he’s doing, … and it’s not mandatory. It doesn’t assist the alliance [NATO], and it additionally doesn’t assist Greenland.”
