Thousands rallied in Copenhagen and Nuuk on 17 January as President Donald Trump said the United States will impose a 10% tariff from 1 February on imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, rising to 25% by 1 June unless a deal is reached for the “complete and total” purchase of Greenland, according to Associated Press and other outlets. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55?utm_source=openai))
A bipartisan US congressional delegation in Copenhagen led by Senator Chris Coons sought to calm allies, describing Greenland as an ally rather than an asset and signalling congressional resistance to any unilateral move on sovereignty. Coons’ office and US broadcasters characterised the visit as a reassurance exercise focused on NATO solidarity and Arctic security. ([coons.senate.gov](https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-coons-to-lead-bipartisan-bicameral-congressional-delegation-to-copenhagen/?utm_source=openai))
Danish and Greenlandic officials reiterated that Greenland is not for sale. Their position rests on the Greenland Self‑Government Act 2009, which recognises the Greenlandic people’s right to self‑determination, and on the UN Charter’s prohibition on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The United States already operates Pituffik Space Base in Greenland under a 1951 US‑Denmark defence agreement. ([en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Greenland_Self-Government_Act?utm_source=openai))
The Danish Ministry of Defence has announced an expanded military presence and exercise activity in and around Greenland with NATO allies. European governments, including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK, have said they are sending small liaison or planning teams to support Danish‑led Arctic training and demonstrate allied commitment to the island’s security. ([fmn.dk](https://www.fmn.dk/en/news/2025/the-danish-armed-forces-expand-their-presence-and-continue-exercises-in-greenland-in-close-cooperation-with-allies/?utm_source=openai))
Public sentiment inside Greenland continues to run strongly against any US takeover. A Verian poll for Greenland’s Sermitsiaq and Denmark’s Berlingske found 85% opposed the territory joining the United States, with only 6% in favour. That aligns with the protest messages seen on 17 January in Copenhagen and Nuuk. ([euronews.com](https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/29/most-greenlanders-oppose-joining-us-despite-trumps-push-poll-shows?utm_source=openai))
At the strategic level, Greenland sits astride North Atlantic and Arctic routes and hosts early‑warning systems that plug into US and NATO missile defence networks. Pituffik Space Base is central to space surveillance and ballistic missile warning, underscoring why allied policy circles frame Greenland as a security partner rather than an acquisition target. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/746d67b1bc8e6681328a809787412495?utm_source=openai))
Trade law will determine how quickly tariffs bite. The White House declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in April 2025 to apply a baseline 10% reciprocal tariff. A subsequent executive order said tariff measures should not “stack”. It is therefore unclear whether the Greenland‑linked tariff will add to or replace existing rates for the targeted countries until a formal proclamation or Federal Register notice is issued. ([whitehouse.gov](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/?utm_source=openai))
For European exporters and US importers dealing in machinery, chemicals, consumer goods and other categories, the near‑term risk is administrative and cash‑flow related: contract repricing, customs valuation changes, and potential supply re‑routing ahead of 1 February and again before 1 June. Product‑level scope, exclusions and any phasing will only be clear once implementing instruments are published by Washington. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4ad99ea3975a8b62d37bd04961feda55?utm_source=openai))
NATO figures, including former secretary‑general Anders Fogh Rasmussen, have warned that coercive trade measures linked to territorial claims could strain alliance cohesion and distract from core deterrence tasks. Denmark, Greenland and the United States agreed to establish a working group this week, but public statements already show diverging interpretations of its remit. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/9dd480eb-5969-495b-b1fe-b108eb602e2a?utm_source=openai))
Policy watchpoints now include: the precise US legal instrument activating the 1 February tariff; any EU or national countermeasures; scope decisions around exemptions; and how allied exercises in Greenland are coordinated under Danish lead. The central question remains unchanged: sovereignty decisions sit with Copenhagen and Nuuk under the Self‑Government Act and international law, not with third‑country pressure. ([en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Greenland_Self-Government_Act?utm_source=openai))