On January 18, some of the United States’ closest European allies stood firm against renewed threats from President Donald Trump as he campaigned to seize control of Greenland.
Eight NATO countries, including Denmark, slammed the U.S. president’s latest tariffs, calling them “dangerous” to transatlantic relations. Denmark is an autonomous territory of Greenland. Trump stated in a Truth Social post on January 17 that these countries will soon impose a 10% tariff on all goods exported to the United States starting from February 1.
Trump said tariffs would be raised to 25% on June 1 unless the United States reached an agreement to buy Greenland from Denmark.
“The threat of tariffs undermines the transatlantic relationship and could lead to a dangerous downward spiral,” the two countries responded in a joint statement. “We will continue to work together to coordinate our response. We are committed to safeguarding our sovereignty.”
Nonetheless, the group also said they “stand ready for dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland signed the statement. Representatives from the organization’s governments will attend an emergency meeting of the European Union on January 18 as Trump’s focus on Arctic islands has strained the 76-year-old NATO alliance.
More: Denmark held large-scale protests demanding that the United States not “meddle in Greenland”
The president also criticized the country’s recent move to send military personnel to Greenland at the request of Danish officials, amid growing calls from Trump to take over the self-governing territory.
Trump said the United States needs Greenland because its strategic location and rich mineral resources make it strategically important, exposing the island to threats from Russia and China. Denmark and many of its NATO and EU allies rejected the claim and reaffirmed their commitment to Arctic security.
People take part in a protest in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 17, 2026, against President Donald Trump’s demand to cede Arctic islands to the United States and called for the United States to be allowed to determine its own future.
The president said in a social media post that the countries’ presence in Greenland is “a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet” and that they are playing a “very dangerous game.”
The European group of countries appeared to respond to the accusations in a statement.
“As members of NATO, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a common transatlantic interest,” they said. “Denmark’s pre-coordinated ‘Arctic Endurance’ exercise with allies responds to this necessity. It does not pose a threat to anyone.”
Trump’s announcement came on the same day that people in Denmark protested the US president’s plans and rallied in support of the self-determination of their predominantly indigenous people. Several European leaders also expressed outrage.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the pre-coordinated military exercises with Denmark, echoing language in statements from eight countries.
Danish soldiers walk past the Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 16, 2026.
The leaders of France and the United Kingdom, two of America’s closest allies, also took aim at Trump’s plans for additional tariffs.
“Imposing tariffs on NATO allies in pursuit of their collective security is simply wrong,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an X post. “We will of course be pursuing this matter directly with the US government.”
French President Emmanuel Macron called the latest tariffs “unacceptable” in a statement posted on social media hours after Trump’s tariffs and said Europeans would “react in a unified and coordinated way” if they were to take effect.
“No intimidation or threats will affect us when we are faced with this situation – whether in Ukraine, Greenland or anywhere else in the world,” Macron said.
Contributed by Eduardo Cuevas and Josh Meyer, USA Today.
Katherine Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. You can contact her via: kapalmer@usatoday.com And in X @Catherine Pulmer. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why does Trump want Greenland? NATO allies slam latest tariffs
