LAST UPDATE | 17 Jan

US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has escalated his quest to acquire Greenland, threatening multiple European nations with tariffs of up to 25% until his purchase of the Danish territory is achieved.

From 1 February, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland would be subject to a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the United States, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.

“On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” he wrote.

In the same post, he said the countries were “playing this very dangerous game” as he said their efforts to support Greenland amounts to “a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable”.

The US president’s announcement comes as crowds of people gathered in Denmark’s capital city to take part in planned protests against his threats to take over Greenland.

A demonstration is also set to be held in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk today.

The protests followed Trump’s earlier warning that he “may put a tariff” on countries that oppose his plans to take over Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.

Irish MEP Barry Andrews, who was recently appointed the European Union’s “rapporteur” for EU-Greenland relations, wrote on X: “Trump is bullying us again – now 10% [tariffs against the eight countries] – who are standing up for the people of Greenland.

“Playground bullies must be confronted head on,” he said, and added that he “cannot see” how Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s “flawed” tariff deal struck in Scotland last summer can proceed.

Politicians across the UK and the other named European nations have criticised the decision announced by Trump this evening.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson rejected the threat.

“We won’t let ourselves be intimidated,” he said in a message sent to news agency AFP. “Only Denmark and Greenland decide questions that concern them.

“I will always defend my country and our allied neighbours,” he added, stressing that this was “a European question”.

He said Sweden is having “intensive discussions” with other EU countries, Norway, and the UK to find a “joint response”.

With reporting from © AFP 2026