President Trump announced Saturday that he will implement a 10 percent tariff on Denmark and its European allies starting next month, ratcheting up the pressure in his bid to acquire Greenland.
“We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!” Trump wrote on Truth Social..
The president said that the new import taxes, which apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, will start at 10 percent on Feb. 1 and increase to 25 percent on June 1.
He added that the levies “will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” saying the U.S. had been “trying to do this transaction for over 150 years” but Denmark refused.
“Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important,” the president wrote.
The announcement comes just days after troops from several European countries, including France and Sweden, arrived in Greenland to participate in joint exercises organized by Denmark, as Trump’s calls for U.S. control of the Arctic territory intensify. The Danish government has also boosted its own military presence in and around the country.
“These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” Trump wrote Saturday. “Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures must be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question.”
The president and other senior U.S. officials have argued that the island must come under U.S. ownership, citing its strategic location as vital to protect national security interests and thwart threats from Russia and China in the Arctic region.
Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed those concerns in a meeting with Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen at the White House on Wednesday.
Rasmussen later described the meeting as a “brilliant opportunity for us to share our view with our American friends,” but said there was disagreement between the two countries on the path forward.
““We share, you know, the challenges linked to the situation in the Arctic,” the foreign ministry told Fox News. “We didn’t agree that it can only be achieved if [the] U.S. conquer[s] Greenland.”
Trump said Saturday there was “not a thing” Denmar“Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!” he wrote. “Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake.”
The Trump administration has not ruled out the possibility of using military force inside Greenland, despite strong opposition from Americans and warnings from Denmark, its allies, and some Republicans that such action could spell the end of the longstanding NATO alliance.
Trump concluded that the U.S. was “immediately open to negotiation” with Denmark or any other European country.
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