US President Donald Trump has warned that countries resisting his plan to bring Greenland under US control could be hit with fresh trade tariffs.
Addressing a White House discussion on rural healthcare, Trump said he “may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” asserting that control of the Arctic island is critical to American national security. He did not clarify which nations might be targeted or under what legal framework such tariffs could be enforced.
The comments come as opposition to the idea intensifies from Denmark and Greenland themselves, from European partners, and even from within the United States, reports BBC.
At the same time Trump was speaking, a cross-party group of 11 US lawmakers was in Greenland on a visit intended to show solidarity with the territory.
The delegation held talks with Greenlandic parliamentarians, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenland’s leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Several Republican members openly expressed doubts about Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, warning it could violate international law and strain long-standing alliances.
The visit was headed by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who said the purpose was to hear directly from Greenlanders and relay their concerns to Washington “to lower the temperature.”
He emphasised diplomacy and the value of preserving strong partnerships. Trump has long argued that Greenland’s geography, situated between North America and the Arctic, makes it strategically indispensable, particularly for missile detection and surveillance.
The United States already maintains the Pituffik Space Base in north-west Greenland, hosting more than 100 permanently stationed American personnel, and existing agreements with Denmark allow for further troop deployments if required.
Nonetheless, Trump has insisted the US must “own” Greenland to safeguard it from possible Russian or Chinese influence. He has said the island could be obtained “the easy way or the hard way,” remarks widely seen as implying either a purchase or the use of force.
Denmark has cautioned that any American military move against Greenland would threaten Nato itself, an alliance founded on mutual defence among its members.
Nato has never faced a scenario in which one member might consider force against another. European allies have largely sided with Denmark, underlining that security in the Arctic should remain a collective Nato responsibility.
Several Nato states, including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK, have dispatched small reconnaissance teams to Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France plans to send land, air and naval forces to the area.
Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz said talks with US lawmakers had made her “hopeful,” highlighting the importance of allies amid sustained pressure from Washington since 2019. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” she said, noting how quickly circumstances continue to shift.
Back in Washington, legislators have put forward rival bills—one bipartisan effort designed to prevent any annexation attempt, and another backed by Republicans that supports a takeover.
Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, has argued that negotiations should take place directly with Greenland’s leadership rather than with Denmark, saying he believes an agreement is ultimately possible. He maintained that the US is not pursuing conquest, but offering security, economic capacity and protection.
After a White House meeting this week involving US officials and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, a Danish official said Vice-President JD Vance suggested seeking “middle ground.” Although the issue of military action was not raised, Denmark said it is treating Trump’s remarks with seriousness. “Our working hypothesis is that what he says is what he means,” the official said.
