Imposes an additional 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1st
Trump warns that the European military deployment in Greenland represents "a danger to the security of the planet"
U.S. President Donald Trump announced this Saturday that, starting February 1st, he will impose additional 10% tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland in retaliation for their deployment in Greenland, following the president’s threat to take control of the island; this new tariff will remain in effect until the U.S. completes the process of “acquiring” the territory.
Trump has finally unleashed his anger against the maneuvers planned by the countries affected by the new tariffs. This refers to the so-called Arctic Resistance Operation, exercises spearheaded by Denmark, to whose kingdom the island belongs, and which have received the support of the countries mentioned by Trump, who has directly declared this deployment a “threat” to global security.
To further escalate the situation, Trump also warned that this additional 10 percent tariff will increase to 25% starting June 1st and “must be paid until an agreement is reached for the total and complete purchase of Greenland” by the United States, the president announced on his Truth Social platform.
The White House had stated this Thursday that the recent troop deployment by these countries does not alter the stated desire of U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland, while the Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, whose kingdom owns the Arctic island, announced on Wednesday the creation of a high-level working group to find a “common solution” to the disagreements. “A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE SURVIVAL OF OUR PLANET”
Trump specifically points to this group of countries because, without openly mentioning the deployment, they “have traveled to Greenland for unknown purposes” and created “a very dangerous situation for the security and survival of our planet.”
“These countries, which are participating in this dangerous game, have introduced an unsustainable level of risk,” the US president warned before declaring that he has been forced to make this decision “so that this potentially dangerous situation ends quickly and unequivocally.”
GREENLAND, UNABLE TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST CHINA AND RUSSIA
In his message, Trump once again argued that the annexation of Greenland by the United States represents a protective measure against the ambitions of Russia and China, given that Denmark, to whose kingdom the Arctic island belongs, is, in his view, absolutely defenseless against the military powers of both countries.
“China and Russia want Greenland, and Denmark can’t do anything about it,” Trump said before stating that “their only protection right now is two dog sleds, and one of them is new.”
Given this situation, “only the United States, under the presidency of Donald J. Trump,” the president indicated, speaking of himself in the third person, “can participate in this game.” Trump promised that, once Greenland is under his control, “no one will touch this sacred territory, especially since the national security of the United States and the entire world is at stake.”
Returning to his argument about regional defense, Trump specified that possession of the territory is essential for his defense system, the “Golden Dome,” to function at full capacity.
“Right now we are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on security programs related to this dome, including the possible protection of Canada,” he said, but “this brilliant but highly complex system can only function at its maximum potential and efficiency, due to its limitations, if this territory is included.” To conclude his message, Trump once again extended an offer to negotiate, always on his own terms. “The United States is immediately open to negotiating with Denmark or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite everything we have done for them, including providing maximum protection for so many decades,” he concluded.
