US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has signalled that he may impose trade tariffs on countries that do not support his push to acquire Greenland.

Speaking at a White House health roundtable today, Trump said: “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”

The president’s comments come amid a period of increasingly aggressive rhetoric over Greenland, which the Trump administration has explored acquiring through both diplomatic and military means.

Trump::

"I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with #Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security," pic.twitter.com/gErm0ekWKm

— vikas tripathi (@vikasjournolko) January 16, 2026

Trump has insisted that US control of the Arctic island is essential to counter the strategic threats posed by China and Russia, even though the United States already maintains a military base there.

“Greenland is crucial for national security. So I may do that,” Trump said, offering little detail on how such tariffs would be applied or which nations could be affected.

European nations have already signalled resistance to Trump’s ambitions.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced yesterday that France would send additional land, air, and sea forces to Greenland for a military exercise, while Sweden, Germany, and Norway have deployed troops to Nuuk as part of reconnaissance missions.

Macron announced the news during an address to French soldiers yesterday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

European officials stressed that Greenland’s security is inseparable from NATO and European security interests.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the EU has a “strategic responsibility” in Greenland, while Greenland’s deputy prime minister, Mute Egede, noted that the arriving soldiers would be training and increasing NATO’s presence in the region.

Despite the mounting response against a possible US invasion, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters yesterday that the deployment of European troops in Greenland has no impact on Trump’s plans to take control of the territory.

“I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” Leavitt told a briefing when asked about the deployment.

Ireland has also voiced support for Denmark and Greenland.

Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne spoke with Denmark’s Minister of European Affairs yesterday, emphasising that sovereignty “is not a commodity to be bought and sold” and must be respected in line with democratic principles and international law.

Trump attempted a more conciliatory tone following a meeting with Danish and Greenlandic officials yesterday, US Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“I have a very good relationship with Denmark, and we’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out,” he said, without clarifying what outcomes he envisions.

Denmark and Greenland, meanwhile, have agreed to establish a working group to address U.S. security concerns while respecting the “red lines” of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Additional reporting from AFP