U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States could impose tariffs on countries that do not support U.S. control of Greenland, adding a new economic dimension to his administration’s long-standing interest in the Arctic territory.Speaking at a White House event focused on rural health care, Trump said tariffs could be used to pressure countries over Greenland, citing national security concerns. He compared the potential move to earlier tariff threats directed at European allies over pharmaceutical trade. The comments marked the first time Trump publicly linked tariffs to the Greenland issue.Trump has repeatedly argued in recent months that the United States should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally. Earlier this week, he said any outcome short of U.S. control would be unacceptable. The White House has not ruled out the use of force in pursuing the objective..The remarks came as a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators and representatives visited Copenhagen to meet with Danish and Greenlandic officials in an effort to ease tensions. The delegation met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and members of both the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments.Earlier in the week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While the meetings did not resolve differences, both sides agreed to establish a working group, though Denmark and the White House later offered differing public descriptions of its purpose.European leaders have maintained that decisions regarding Greenland rest solely with Denmark and Greenland. Denmark also announced this week that it is increasing its military presence in Greenland in cooperation with allies..Members of the U.S. congressional delegation emphasized the long-standing alliance between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, and highlighted the role of Congress in shaping U.S. foreign and defense policy. Several lawmakers stressed that Greenland should be treated as an ally rather than a strategic asset.The delegation’s tone differed from that of the White House, which has justified its position by pointing to concerns about increased Chinese and Russian interest in Greenland, including its reserves of critical minerals.Opposition to U.S. control has also been expressed within Greenland. Greenland’s prime minister stated earlier this week that, if forced to choose, Greenland would align with Denmark, NATO, and the European Union.Indigenous organizations have also criticized repeated statements from Washington asserting that the United States must own Greenland, arguing that such rhetoric reflects a dismissive view of Greenland’s population and Indigenous peoples more broadly. The Nuuk-based Inuit Circumpolar Council, which represents Inuit communities across the Arctic, has warned that the dispute has heightened concerns among Greenlanders about sovereignty and self-determination.The issue continues to strain U.S. relations with Denmark and raise questions about the future of Greenland’s status within the NATO alliance.
