US President Donald Trump has said that he may punish countries that do not support US control over Greenland by imposing tariffs. Trump made this statement after a bipartisan delegation of the US Congress urged Trump to reduce tensions with Denmark. Trump has been saying for months that the US should have control over Greenland, which is currently controlled by Denmark.
Trump had said earlier this week that nothing but US control over Greenland was acceptable. The US President, at an event held at his White House office on Friday, spoke about how he had threatened European countries over the issue of medicines. He said, “I can do the same for Greenland. I can impose tariffs on countries that do not support Greenland. We need Greenland for national security. So I can do that.” Earlier, he had not talked about imposing tariffs to exert pressure on this issue.
Trump’s Threat:
Previously, Trump was merely making statements, but now he has issued a direct threat: “If countries don’t support the US on Greenland, I can impose tariffs on them. I’ve just had Europe bow down to the issue of medicine.” This means it’s no longer just rhetoric, but a threat of economic pressure and a trade war.
Denmark’s Response
Greenland is under Danish control. Denmark has made it clear that it will not sell Greenland and will increase NATO’s permanent military presence there. This is not just a Greenland issue. It is a matter of US global dominance, the struggle for control of the Arctic, and future military-economic competition.