President Trump just delivered a sharp warning to Europe, stating he is prepared to instantly match any trade retaliation the continent might levy against the U.S. amid rising tensions over Greenland, as per The Hill. The whole Greenland situation is causing serious friction, and it looks like it’s quickly escalating from a diplomatic spat into a full-blown economic threat.
The drama intensified after the president levied 10 percent tariffs over the weekend against Denmark and its European allies, specifically because of the Greenland issue. You also have to remember the president hasn’t even ruled out using military force to acquire the territory, which really ratchets up the stakes for everyone involved.
President Trump explained exactly how he plans to respond if Europe tries to hit the U.S. with economic penalties. He told the interviewer, “See anything they do with us, I’ll just meet it. All I have to do is meet it, and it’s going to go ricocheting backward.” It means any small tariff Europe imposes could instantly blow up into a major, mutually destructive trade war, which is the last thing the global economy needs right now.
The reactions from our European allies have been intense, to say the least
The tension is so high that President Trump even shared a screenshot of a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron’s message to President Trump was bizarrely blunt, stating simply: “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.” Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered rare public criticism of the president over the issue. Starmer stated, “Any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the kingdom of Denmark alone.”
Despite the escalating rhetoric and the serious trade threat, the president seems surprisingly optimistic about finding a resolution. The timing is crucial, as the president is currently traveling to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. He’ll be coming face-to-face with many of these concerned European allies there, including the ones who have raised concerns about his vocal ambitions for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.
President Trump suggested that he’d actually prefer a diplomatic solution to the trade war he just threatened. He noted, “But we’re not looking at that. We’ll probably be able to work something out, possibly even during the next few days in Davos.”
It sounds like a resolution could be coming sooner than you might expect, even with all the recent drama. The president wrapped up his briefing, predicting a successful outcome to the talks in Switzerland, saying, “I think we’re going to work something out where NATO’s going to be very happy and we’re going to be very happy.”
Published: Jan 21, 2026 12:00 pm