Trump announced that an additional 10% import tariff would be imposed on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom, effective February 1.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday promised to impose increasing tariffs on goods from several European allies unless the United States is allowed to purchase Greenland, dramatically escalating the dispute over the future of the Danish-controlled Arctic territory. Protests erupted in Denmark and Greenland on Saturday, where demonstrators opposed Trump's demands and called for Greenland to retain its right to determine its own future.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that an additional 10% import tariff would be imposed on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom, effective February 1. These countries are already subject to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
He added that the tariffs would rise to 25% effective June 1 and would remain in effect until an agreement allowing the United States to purchase Greenland is reached. Trump has repeatedly asserted that Greenland is vital to US national security due to its strategic location in the Arctic and its large mineral reserves, and has not ruled out the use of force. This week, European countries deployed military personnel to the island at Denmark's request, underscoring the growing tensions surrounding the territory.
"These countries, playing this very dangerous game, have created a level of risk that is unacceptable and unsustainable," Trump wrote. He added that the United States is "immediately open to discussions with Denmark and/or any of these countries," citing decades of US security support for Europe.
"Greenland was likely never just about buying land or oil. We believe it's about control of the Western Hemisphere," Bernstein analysts wrote in a note this week.
Separately, Trump denied reports that he offered the Federal Reserve Chairman role to Jamie Dimon. In another post on Truth Social, Trump denied a Wall Street Journal report that he offered the job to Dimon, who is the CEO of JPMorgan.
Trump also stated that he plans to sue JPMorgan within the next two weeks, accusing the bank of "debanking" following the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.