Trump Threatens Tariffs to Secure Greenland

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries that refuse to support his plan to acquire Greenland, citing national security and the strategic importance of the Arctic territory. Speaking during a White House health roundtable, Trump emphasized that Greenland is essential to US security. 

“I could impose a tariff on countries if they do not accept the Greenland plan, because we need Greenland for national security reasons.” The president’s push comes amid growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, which the US sees as a challenge to its influence and regional stability.

Trump’s special envoy for Greenland, Jeff Landry, said he will visit the Danish territory in March to negotiate and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached. “Yes, I believe there is a deal that should be made, and it will happen once this process unfolds,” Landry told Fox News. 

Greenland Talks End Without Resolution, NATO Steps Up Presence

This week, a high-level meeting between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland on the future of the Arctic territory ended without a clear resolution, highlighting ongoing disputes over sovereignty and security. 

The talks took place at the White House on Jan. 14, with US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt participating. While no major breakthrough was reached, the parties agreed to continue discussions and established a working group to explore possible paths forward for Greenland.

Rasmussen described the meeting as “frank but constructive,” firmly rejecting US President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions that Washington should assume control of the island, calling such proposals “totally unacceptable.” The working group, expected to meet in the coming weeks, will seek areas of compromise. Denmark and Greenland remain open to expanded US military activity but emphasize that certain boundaries cannot be crossed.

Amid heightened tensions, NATO has announced troop deployments to Greenland for “Operation Arctic Endurance,” with Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway participating. Motzfeldt emphasized the importance of strengthening defense in coordination with NATO allies. Rasmus Brun Pedersen, Professor, Aarhus University, suggested the US may frame the expanded NATO presence as a political win, though he cautioned it may still fall short of Washington’s demands.

US Interest in Greenland: Minerals, Control

President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland is driven by its mineral wealth and strategic Arctic location. The island contains 25 of the 34 minerals deemed critical by the European Commission, including rare earth elements, graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt, platinum, gold, iron, uranium, and titanium. These resources are vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and advanced electronics, positioning Greenland as a key player in global supply chains. Major rare earth deposits are in the southern Gardar province, graphite is widely available with notable projects like Amitsoq, and northern Greenland hosts significant zinc, including the Citronen Fjord deposit. Other minerals such as gold, iron, tungsten, and vanadium are scattered across the island, while uranium development remains restricted under a 2021 policy ban.

Beyond its mineral potential, Greenland holds significant geostrategic value. The US military’s Thule Air Base underscores the island’s importance for defense, missile warning, and space surveillance. Trump has repeatedly asserted that only the United States can protect Greenland from growing Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. “The problem is there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there is everything that we can do,” he said.

Experts note that while Moscow and Beijing have increased Arctic cooperation, including military coordination and dual-purpose infrastructure, Greenland has not been the central focus of these efforts. European observers, however, view Trump’s claims as “totally unacceptable.” Guntram Wolff, Senior Fellow, Bruegel, warned that invasion statements raise doubts about NATO’s reliability “If the US president says he can only defend what he owns, he cannot defend Europe under any circumstances,” he explained, challenging the credibility of NATO’s commitments.