President Donald Trump has escalated his push for U.S. control of Greenland by suggesting tariffs could be imposed on countries that oppose the move, even as American lawmakers and European leaders attempt to lower growing tensions.
The comments came Friday during a White House event, as a bipartisan congressional delegation was in Copenhagen meeting Danish and Greenlandic officials to counter sharp rhetoric from Washington.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States must control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark and a NATO partner, framing the issue as a national security imperative.
He has previously described anything short of U.S. ownership as “unacceptable,” and had not ruled out the use of force, while also floating the idea of purchasing the Arctic island.
Speaking at the White House, Trump linked his Greenland push to past tariff threats used to pressure foreign governments on other issues.
“I may do that for Greenland too,” he said.
“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
The remarks marked the first time Trump explicitly tied tariffs to Greenland, adding a new economic lever to an already contentious diplomatic dispute.
The administration has said it is weighing multiple options, including military measures, while asserting that Greenland’s location and resources are critical to U.S. security.
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected those claims, insisting the territory is not for sale and that its future can only be decided by its own people and Copenhagen.
Earlier this week, Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acknowledging deep disagreements but agreeing to form a working group, though its purpose remains disputed.
Denmark has since announced an increase in its military presence in Greenland, supported by small deployments from other European nations.
In Copenhagen, an 11-member U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Chris Coons met leaders from Denmark and Greenland, emphasizing recognition of Greenland as an ally rather than property.
“There’s a lot of rhetoric, but there’s not a lot of reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Coons said.
Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, said he plans to visit the territory in March and believes negotiations could still yield an agreement.