‘Europe won’t be blackmailed,’ Danish PM says in wake of Trump Greenland threats

“We will not be blackmailed into Europe,” says Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as she and other European leaders continue to weigh their reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats against Greenland.

Trump said he would impose new taxes on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK – in February if they oppose his bid to take over the autonomous Danish territory.

He insists that Greenland is critical to US security and does not rule out seizing it by force; This leads to widespread criticism.

Countries threatened with tariffs have now issued a joint statement saying Trump’s plan risks a “dangerous downward spiral”.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations,” they said, reiterating their “full solidarity with the people of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland.”

The countries stressed that, as members of the NATO military alliance, they are “committed to strengthening Arctic security as a common transatlantic interest.”

The statement said, “We are ready to enter into a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand behind.”

Separately, Frederiksen wrote on Facebook: “We want to cooperate and we are not the ones looking for conflict. I am also happy with the consistent messages coming from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.”

“It is even more important that we stand firm on the fundamental values ​​that created the European community.”

It came during the emergency regulation of EU members The meeting will be held in Brussels on Sunday.

Trump has threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, which would go into effect on February 1 but could later rise to 25 percent and continue until a deal is reached.

“By playing this very dangerous game, these countries have posed a level of risk that is not tenable or sustainable,” he wrote, adding: “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Planet.”

The US president insists Greenland is critical to US security and has previously said Washington will get the region “the easy way” or the “hard way”.

Greenland is a sparsely populated but resource-rich country, and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems and monitoring of ships in the region in the event of missile attacks.

“Greenland can only be defended if it’s part of the United States, if it’s part of the United States it doesn’t need to be defended,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday.

“I believe Europeans will understand that this is best for Greenland, best for Europe, and best for the United States,” he said.

It is still unclear how the tariffs will affect those Trump has already imposed on the UK and the EU. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been working to coordinate Europe’s response to tariff threats, said he would demand the EU activate its “anti-repression instrument” if Trump imposes them.

“How can we cooperate in a more contentious world?” the US president will ask at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. He will give a speech on the subject. In addition to Macron, leaders of Germany and the EU will also attend the annual conference.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who will be there, said his country was “concerned by recent tensions” and that it would “significantly improve Arctic security, strengthen our military and invest in critical infrastructure.”

He also wrote about X: “Canada strongly believes that the best way to protect the Arctic is to work together within NATO.”

Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte said he spoke with Trump “about the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic.”

“We will continue to work on it and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week,” he added.

Public anger over Trump’s threats against Greenland appears unabated in both Denmark and Greenland. Demonstrations against Trump’s takeover plans were held in Greenland’s capital Nuuk and Danish cities on Saturday ahead of the tariff announcement.

These rallies coincide with the visit of a delegation from the US Congress to Copenhagen. His leader, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, called Mr. Trump’s rhetoric “not constructive.”

The island’s US representative said that when Greenlanders were last asked in January 2025 if they wanted to become part of the US, only 6% were in favor, while 85% were against.

A recent poll shows that most Americans also oppose U.S. control of Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released last Wednesday found that only 17 percent of Americans support the U.S. taking over Greenland, while 47 percent oppose Trump’s effort to seize the island.