US President Donald Trump has sparked a major row with European allies over his threat to impose tariffs on the continent unless they accept US control of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. The move has led to a united front from some of America's closest allies, who have warned that the threats "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral".
In a joint statement, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland expressed their support for Greenland's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while warning Trump's tariff threat would undermine European unity. The move is seen as a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and its traditional allies.
The US has been seeking greater control over Greenland, which hosts a major US military base at Thule Air Base, as part of its efforts to strengthen its presence in the Arctic region. However, Denmark's government has consistently opposed this idea, saying it would undermine the territory's autonomy.
Trump's announcement on Saturday was seen as an attempt by the President to use tariffs as leverage to force talks over the status of Greenland. However, European leaders have rejected this approach, saying that any change to the territory's status would require a consensus among its people and not just a bilateral agreement between Washington and Copenhagen.
The reaction from Europe has been swift and united, with many leaders expressing their outrage at Trump's move. The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Trump that "applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is wrong". The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also warned that Trump's threats would only benefit China and Russia, while damaging European-US relations.
Trump's own popularity has taken a hit in Europe, with many leaders condemning his approach as divisive and isolationist. Former US Vice President Mike Pence said he supports the idea of US ownership of Greenland but not how Trump is trying to achieve it.
The move has also been criticized by some of Trump's populist allies in Europe, who have expressed concerns that his approach would damage the transatlantic relationship. Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni said she had spoken to Trump about the tariffs and described them as "a mistake".
As tensions between Washington and its allies continue to escalate, there are growing concerns about the implications for global stability. The deployment of troops by European countries to Greenland has been seen as a show of solidarity with Denmark and a warning to Trump against overstepping his authority.
The situation remains volatile, with many leaders urging calm and caution as the world watches with bated breath to see how this crisis will unfold.
In a joint statement, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland expressed their support for Greenland's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while warning Trump's tariff threat would undermine European unity. The move is seen as a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and its traditional allies.
The US has been seeking greater control over Greenland, which hosts a major US military base at Thule Air Base, as part of its efforts to strengthen its presence in the Arctic region. However, Denmark's government has consistently opposed this idea, saying it would undermine the territory's autonomy.
Trump's announcement on Saturday was seen as an attempt by the President to use tariffs as leverage to force talks over the status of Greenland. However, European leaders have rejected this approach, saying that any change to the territory's status would require a consensus among its people and not just a bilateral agreement between Washington and Copenhagen.
The reaction from Europe has been swift and united, with many leaders expressing their outrage at Trump's move. The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Trump that "applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is wrong". The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also warned that Trump's threats would only benefit China and Russia, while damaging European-US relations.
Trump's own popularity has taken a hit in Europe, with many leaders condemning his approach as divisive and isolationist. Former US Vice President Mike Pence said he supports the idea of US ownership of Greenland but not how Trump is trying to achieve it.
The move has also been criticized by some of Trump's populist allies in Europe, who have expressed concerns that his approach would damage the transatlantic relationship. Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni said she had spoken to Trump about the tariffs and described them as "a mistake".
As tensions between Washington and its allies continue to escalate, there are growing concerns about the implications for global stability. The deployment of troops by European countries to Greenland has been seen as a show of solidarity with Denmark and a warning to Trump against overstepping his authority.
The situation remains volatile, with many leaders urging calm and caution as the world watches with bated breath to see how this crisis will unfold.
. So, Donald Trump is saying that if Europe doesn't let him control Greenland, he's gonna put tariffs on them? Like, what even is a tariff? Is it like when you pay for something and then some extra money just shows up? 
No, seriously though, why would the US do this to its friends in Europe? I mean, they're already super upset with him over all the other stuff. And now he's trying to threaten them with tariffs too? That just seems like a big mistake 
. I get that the US wants to be in control of Greenland because it's got some important military bases and whatnot, but can't they just have a nice chat with Denmark about it instead of trying to strong-arm everyone? 
This whole thing is super worrying, you know? I mean, Trump's just trying to use tariffs as a bargaining chip for Greenland, but it's not even like that territory has anything to do with his economy or trade policies. It's all about the military presence and control over the Arctic region. And now he's got all these European countries backing Denmark and saying no to this tariff threat? That's gotta be a huge blow to Trump's ego 
!
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. I'm glad they're putting their foot down and saying no to Trump's antics.
. He thinks he can just bully his way into getting what he wants? Please 
. The EU has already shown that they're not afraid of him and are willing to stand up for themselves.
. We need more leaders who are willing to speak truth to power like that 
. This whole thing is just a huge mess and I'm not sure how it's going to end... 
Trump's behavior is getting out of hand! I mean, can't he just chill? Imposing tariffs on an entire continent over a tiny island? It's ridiculous! 
And what's with all the saber-rattling about control and ownership? Newsflash: Greenland wants to be independent and have its own sovereignty. That's not up for debate.
I guess that's too much to ask from Trump right now...
Trump is trying to strong-arm Denmark into letting the US take control of Greenland, but they're all like "NOPE"! 
They know it'd be a disaster for their sovereignty and autonomy. The EU's getting together and saying "hey, we got your back, Denmark!" 
Trump's just trying to use tariffs as leverage, but Europe's all "nope, not gonna play that game" 
. Trump's popularity in Europe is taking a hit, which is kinda sad because we were all hoping for better #USvsEU #GreenlandGate #TariffsDon'tWork
! like he's tryna control greeland thru tariffs n its soooo not ok 
. trump's actin all aggressive n isolatin himself n it's just gonna backfire 
. nd honestly, who needs greeland anyway? 
does anyone really care about a bunch of ice in the arctic? 
can someone explain tariffs to me again, like, why do countries get mad when one imposes them? 
. Newsflash, Donald: you can't just bully people into doing what you want. 
This whole thing is just wild... I mean, who does Trump think he's playing here? 
How can he just threaten tariffs to get what he wants? It's like he's trying to bully everyone into submission. 
Anyway, I'm just hoping this situation gets resolved peacefully before it blows up into something even bigger. 
Fingers crossed! 
I mean, come on, Europe has its own interests and concerns, but Trump just goes ahead and tries to dictate what they should do. Not cool, dude.
It's not just about Trump, it's about him undermining the transatlantic relationship and risking a downward spiral 
. The EU is right, this tariff threat would only benefit China and Russia, and damage European-US relations irreparably 
he thinks tariffs are gonna force europe to roll over on greenland? umm nope 
. Trump needs to chill out and talk to his allies instead of threatening them with tariffs 
. It's not gonna solve anything and it's already damaging the transatlantic relationship