Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signaled that he could use trade measures against countries that refuse to support American control over Greenland, intensifying an already sensitive diplomatic dispute involving the Arctic territory.
Trump made the remarks as a U.S. congressional delegation was meeting with Danish and Greenlandic lawmakers in Copenhagen, where officials sought to calm rising tensions surrounding Washington’s stance on the strategically important island.
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” Trump said, without clarifying which nations could be affected or what types of goods might face restrictions. He emphasized that Greenland is vital to U.S. national security interests.
For several months, Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should take control of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. Earlier this week, he stated that any outcome short of U.S. control would be unacceptable.
The suggestion of using tariffs represents a new element in Trump’s approach. While he has previously raised the idea of acquiring Greenland, he had not openly proposed applying economic pressure through trade penalties.
Diplomatic discussions earlier this week in Washington involved the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Although the meetings failed to bridge fundamental disagreements, the sides agreed to establish a working group.
However, statements issued afterward revealed sharp differences between Denmark and the White House regarding the purpose and scope of that working group, underscoring the depth of the dispute.
Greenland remains a semi-autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty and has consistently rejected any notion of becoming part of the United States. Danish officials have reiterated that the island is not for sale and that its future must be determined solely by its population.