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Trump threatens tariffs on countries that oppose U.S. acquisition of Greenland

Published: 17 Jan. 2026, 11:11 Updated: 17 Jan. 2026, 14:10

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at an event to promote investment in rural health care in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Jan. 16. [AP/YONHAP]

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to levy tariffs on countries if they do not support his push to acquire Greenland, the Danish territory, which he says is crucial to the United States’ national security.

Trump made the remarks during a health care-related event at the White House amid European leaders' opposition to the idea of the United States taking over Greenland, the Arctic island that is part of Denmark, a member of NATO.

“I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland because we need national security,” he said. “So I may do that.”

His remarks came as a bipartisan congressional delegation reportedly met with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Copenhagen on Friday to show support for them. Led by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the delegation included Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and other senators.

In a social media post earlier this week, Trump reiterated that the United States needs Greenland for national security, adding that if it does not acquire the Danish territory, “Russia or China will.”

“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”

Last week, the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark issued a joint statement on Greenland, stressing that the island belongs to its people, and that decisions concerning it are for Denmark and Greenland to decide.

Yonhap