Trump announces tariffs on Europeans, ‘in Greenland a dangerous game’
Brussels (ANSA) – On his social network, Truth, Donald Trump announced 10% tariffs starting from February 1 against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Finland – that is, the countries that dared to send contingents to Greenland – until such time as “an agreement is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.” Italy is not among the countries in the crosshairs.
Although the government is among the signatories of the declaration issued in support of Danish sovereignty, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had made it clear from Tokyo that Rome would act only within NATO. The US president has also threatened that from June 1, 2026 tariffs on the 8 European countries “will rise to 25%” if an agreement is not found. “They have put into play a level of risk that is not sustainable,” thundered Trump.
The reaction of the EU leadership was immediate: “Customs tariffs would compromise transatlantic relations and risk triggering a dangerous downward spiral,” warned Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen in a joint statement, assuring that “Europe will remain united in defending its own sovereignty.”
The irritation was particularly strong among the affected countries: “The threats are unacceptable,” declared the Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, assuring a “united and coordinated response,” as did Germany which, “in close contact with European partners,” announced “appropriate responses at the right time.” A “completely wrong” measure, commented the Briton Keir Starmer.
Denmark reported that it had received Trump’s announcement with “surprise,” explaining that “the purpose of the greater military presence in Greenland, to which the president refers, is precisely to improve security in the Arctic,” as invoked by the tycoon. On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had in fact already planned to receive the Danish Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Foreign Minister of Greenland, Vivian Motzfeldt, to take stock of the situation.
The Alliance is in great deadlock and the hypothesis of an allied security operation in the Arctic – and therefore in Greenland – along the lines of what happened in Eastern Europe, with Sentinel East, and in the Baltic, with Sentinel Baltic, is described as “premature.” “What has been written so far goes far beyond the current state of affairs,” says a source with direct knowledge of the dossier.
Those, in fact, are enhanced security operations that do not need a formal passage through the Atlantic Council, since the powers are already in the hands of the Supreme Commander (Saceur), US General Alexus Grynkewich. Who, however, is also the Commander of US troops in Europe. It is therefore very unlikely that the man chosen by Trump to lead NATO forces would move against the commander in chief (January 17).
