NATO members to face tariffs increasing to 25% until a Greenland purchase deal is struck
US President Donald Trump arrives at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in the US state of Michigan on January 13, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that goods from eight NATO members sent to the United States will face increased tariffs “until an Agreement for the Total and Complete Acquisition of Greenland is reached.”
Trump wrote in a message that customs duties targeting Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will start at 10% on February 1. Real Social post.
The President said tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1.
His post suggested that new tariffs were imposed on European allies in response to them sending their troops to Greenland. They took the step as the Trump administration continues to use the US military as part of its escalating efforts to seize Danish territory.
Trump wrote that eight countries “went to Greenland for unknown purposes.” “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Planet.”
A day earlier, Trump had hinted that he could apply similar tariffs to Greenland that he used to force foreign countries to change drug prices.
“I can do this for Greenland, too. I can impose tariffs on countries that do not comply with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” he said in a speech at the White House on Friday.
Trump’s latest move further increases the pressure on NATO, the 32-member military alliance established after World War II. The cornerstone of the alliance is the agreement that an attack on any member is an attack on all of them.
European leaders have warned that a US attempt to seize Greenland by force could escalate. end of NATO.
A protester attends a demonstration to show support for Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Tom Small | Reuters
Trump’s tariff announcement could mean he is abandoning his long-held threat to use the military to achieve his goal of taking over the island. But it still increases the pressure on Denmark and the rest of Europe, which have made it clear that Greenland is not for sale.
Trump is an enthusiastic fan of using tariffs as a tool to gain political influence over other countries. Last year, he greatly expanded the government’s use of taxes, largely through the unusual invocation of a law that gives the president some powers during economic emergencies.
The Supreme Court may decide next week whether to reduce tariffs imposed under that law.
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