On Friday, President Donald Trump escalated his push for U.S. control of Greenland, floating the use of tariffs against countries that oppose the idea.
Trump Raises Tariff Threat Over Greenland
Speaking at a White House event focused on rural health care, Trump said he could use tariffs to pressure countries into backing U.S. control of Greenland, calling the Arctic island vital to national security, reported the Associated Press.
“I may do that for Greenland too,” Trump said, referencing past threats to impose tariffs on European pharmaceuticals.
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
Trump has for months argued that U.S. control of Greenland — a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark and a NATO ally — is necessary, saying earlier this week that anything less would be “unacceptable.”
Denmark, Greenland Reject US Pressure
European leaders quickly pushed back, insisting that decisions about Greenland rest solely with Denmark and Greenland.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen made the position explicit during a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“We are now facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the U.S. and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,” Nielsen said.
Denmark announced it is increasing its military presence in Greenland in coordination with allies, while French President Emmanuel Macron said France will send troops to participate in “Operation Arctic Endurance,” a Danish-led military exercise.
Diplomacy Fails To Ease Tensions
This week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
While the sides agreed to establish a working group, Danish officials and the White House later offered sharply different descriptions of its purpose, the report noted.
How Are The Prediction Markets Reacting
On Kalshi, a U.S.-regulated prediction platform, contracts asking, “Will the U.S. take control of any part of Greenland?” have surged.
Kalshi’s market is currently pricing in a 43% probability that the U.S. will assume control over some part of Greenland.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
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