Topline
President Donald Trump warned he may impose tariffs against countries that don’t support his plan to acquire Greenland, a territory of Denmark, he said during a roundtable discussion Friday morning at the White House.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to promote investment in rural health care in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Washington.
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Key Facts
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland with national security, so I may do that,” Trump said without elaborating.
Trump has frequently mentioned his plans to take control of Greenland, even suggesting he could use military force to seize the country, but this marks the first time he has threatened tariffs against countries opposing his efforts.
The president previously wrote on X that “anything less than” a U.S. takeover of Greenland would be “unacceptable,” mentioning China or Russia could take control of the country if the U.S. didn’t.
His efforts have been met with opposition from both sides of the line, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., introducing a resolution Thursday “affirming the United States’ enduring partnership with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland.”
Americans largely disapprove of Trump’s attempts to acquire Greenland, with just 17% of people polled this week by Reuters and Ipsos saying they approve of the plan.
European Leaders Push Back Against Trump’s Plan
Leaders of seven European countries issued a joint statement earlier this month, stating “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.” Wednesday, the European Parliament expressed its “unequivocal support to Greenland and Denmark, saying in a statement that “any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland, violates international law and the United Nations Charter.”
Key Background
Officials from Greenland and Denmark met with White House officials Wednesday, with Denmark foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen saying he has a “fundamental disagreement” with Trump’s rhetoric on Greenland. Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt told reporters she believes “it’s in all of our interests to find the right path.”
Chief Critic
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has pushed back against Trump’s efforts, saying they are “ill-advised” and would incinerate “the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic.”
Further Reading
U.S. And Denmark Still Have ‘Fundamental Disagreement’ About Greenland After White House Meeting, Danish Official Says (Forbes)
Trump Says U.S. Will Do ‘Something’ On Greenland: ‘Either The Nice Way Or The More Difficult Way’ (Forbes)
These Billionaires Bet Big On Greenland—After Trump Took Interest (Forbes)ails…