Danish PM declares that Europe will not be blackmailed regarding Trump’s threats of tariffs on Greenland

Trump threatens fresh tariffs to compel European support for the Greenland acquisition, but Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen fights back.

“Europe will not be blackmailed,” stated Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on allies for opposing his proposed takeover of Greenland.

Trump has threatened to impose a new 10% tax on products coming from eight allies if they oppose US sovereignty over the autonomous Danish territory. European leaders have responded sharply to the proposed sanctions, threatening harm to transatlantic relations.

In a joint statement released on Sunday, Frederiksen and other European leaders warned that the tariffs might “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

Trump said Monday Denmark has not protected Greenland from outside dangers.

“You have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,” NATO has been warning Denmark for twenty years. Denmark, however, has been powerless to address the issue. It’s time now, and it will be finished!!” he exclaimed.

Trump has said that Greenland is essential to US security on numerous occasions and has claimed that Washington would acquire the country “the easy way” or “the hard way.” His refusal to rule out the use of force has drawn harsh criticism throughout Europe.

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK would all be subject to the charges. Trump stated that “any and all goods” sent to the US will be subject to a 10% tax on February 1st, which would increase to a 25% levy in June.

On his Truth Social platform, he stated that the taxes would “be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

In their joint statement, the eight nations emphasized their dedication to “strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest” and reiterated their “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.”

“We stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty that we stand firmly behind,” they continued.

In a subsequent Facebook post, Frederiksen stated that Denmark was looking for collaboration rather than conflict.

“We don’t want conflict; we want to work together. She wrote, “And I am pleased with the constant messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.”

“It is even more crucial that we adhere to the core principles that established the European community.”

The threat of tariffs was also denounced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called it “completely wrong” and stated that Britain would bring up the matter with the White House immediately.

Due to its strategic location between North America and the Arctic, Greenland is a resource-rich but sparsely populated area that is crucial for marine monitoring and missile warning systems.

According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US authority was essential to Greenland’s security.

He declared, “Greenland can only be defended if it is a part of the US, and if it is part of the US, it will not need to be defended.”

“I think Europeans will realize that this is the best course of action for Greenland, Europe, and the United States.”

Respect for sovereignty is a “non negotiable” value, according to Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

“The mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is the first step towards achieving peace and working together to solve common issues,” he stated.

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, if Trump moves forward with the tariffs, he would attempt to activate the EU Anti Coercion Instrument.

Trump, Macron, and other European leaders are scheduled to appear at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday. “Concerned by the recent escalation,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that his nation would strengthen Arctic security within NATO.

In Greenland and Denmark, there is still a lot of public opposition. Democratic Senator Chris Coons called Trump’s language “not constructive,” and protests took place in Nuuk and other Danish cities.

According to a January 2025 poll, only 6% of Greenlanders were in favor of joining the US, while 85% were against it, according to the country’s ambassador to the US. Only 17 percent of Americans favor US rule of Greenland, according to a recent Reuters Ipsos poll.