Trump may tariff countries that don't go along with his Greenland plan
US President Donald Trump says he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan to have the United States control Greenland.
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said at a health roundtable at the White House.
Since Trump returned to the White House in January, he has repeatedly expressed his desire to take over Greenland, a demand Denmark and many other European nations have rejected.
Trump has said Greenland is vital to US security because of its strategic location and large supply of minerals, and has not ruled out the use of force to take it.
A bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers met the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Copenhagen on Friday, seeking to “lower the temperature” with assurances of congressional support after President Donald Trump’s threats to seize the Arctic island.
European nations this week sent small numbers of military personnel to the island at Denmark’s request.
The 11-member US delegation, led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, met Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen, as well as Danish and Greenlandic parliamentarians.
“There’s a lot of rhetoric, but there’s not a lot of reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Coons told reporters following the meetings, saying the lawmakers would seek to “lower the temperature” on returning home.
Looking for a deal
Trump’s special envoy to Greenland also said on Friday he plans to visit the Danish territory in March and believes a deal can be made.
“I do believe that there’s a deal that should and will be made once this plays out,” Jeff Landry told Fox News in an interview on Friday as a bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers was set to meet leaders of Greenland and Denmark.
“The president is serious. I think he’s laid the markers down. He’s told Denmark what he’s looking for, and now it’s a matter of having Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio and Vice President JD Vance make a deal.”
