United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump yesterday promised to implement a wave of tariff increases on European allies until the U.S.is allowed to buy Greenland, escalating the dispute over the future of the vast Danish Arctic island.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that additional import tariffs of ten percent would take effect on February 1st on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom (UK), on all goods already subject to tariffs imposed by Trump.
Those tariffs would rise to 25 percent on June 1st and would continue to apply until an agreement is reached on the purchase of Greenland by the U.S., Trump wrote.
He has repeatedly said that Greenland is crucial to U.S. security because of its strategic position and large mineral deposits, and he has not ruled out the use of force to seize it.
European nations this week sent military personnel to the island at Denmark’s request.
“These countries, which are playing this very dangerous game, have brought into play a level of risk that is not sustainable or unsustainable,” Trump wrote, adding:
“The U.S. is immediately open to negotiations with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite everything we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades.”
