Trump has threats for allies who won’t back the U.S. taking control of Greenland

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could impose tariffs on countries that refuse to support U.S. control of Greenland, escalating months of rhetoric over the Arctic territory. As reported by ABC News, Trump raised the threat during a White House event on rural health care.

During the event, Trump said tariffs could be used if nations do not “go along with Greenland,” arguing the island is needed for U.S. national security. He pointed to earlier threats aimed at European allies over pharmaceutical tariffs and said a similar approach could be applied to Greenland.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, should be under U.S. control, calling alternatives unacceptable. He has cited concerns about Russian and Chinese interest in the resource-rich island, which holds significant reserves of critical minerals.

Allies push back as tensions rise

Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to bridge the divide, with tensions increasing after bipartisan backlash in Washington. Lawmakers from both parties traveling to Denmark underscored growing concern over the administration’s approach.

European leaders have stressed that decisions about Greenland’s future rest solely with Denmark and Greenland. Denmark has moved to strengthen its military presence on the island with allied support, while Greenlandic officials have rejected the White House’s claims. Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said Greenland has faced exaggeration and false claims, adding that current pressure is coming from the United States.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said Tuesday that Greenland would choose Denmark and its existing alliances if forced to decide. He said the territory stands with NATO, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the European Union.

Not all U.S. officials have echoed the White House’s position. A bipartisan congressional delegation traveled to Copenhagen to ease tensions. Sen. Chris Coons thanked Denmark for more than two centuries as a trusted ally, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Greenland should be viewed as an ally rather than an asset and noted that most Americans oppose acquiring the territory.

That effort followed earlier signals that some U.S. lawmakers were seeking to cool the situation directly. Plans by a U.S. senator to rush to Denmark highlighted concern over the direction of White House rhetoric.

Concerns have also been raised about the impact on Greenland’s Indigenous population. Sara Olsvig, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, said repeated statements about U.S. ownership reflect how the administration views Indigenous peoples. She said Inuit in Greenland do not want to be colonized again.

In Congress, Murkowski and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen have introduced bipartisan legislation that would bar the use of U.S. Defense or State Department funds to annex Greenland, or any NATO member’s territory, without that ally’s consent or approval from the North Atlantic Council.