U.S. President Donald Trump sharply escalated tensions with European allies this week by reaffirming his demand that the United States take control of Greenland, pairing threats of sweeping tariffs with a refusal to rule out the use of force. The confrontation intensified as Denmark deployed additional troops to the island and European leaders warned that Trump’s approach risks breaking core principles of NATO and international sovereignty.
In an early morning post on his social media platform, Trump said he had a “very good telephone call” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and that they agreed to a meeting “of various parties” in Switzerland later this week. Trump framed the issue as non negotiable, writing, “Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back—on that, everyone agrees!”
Trump portrayed American power as the central justification for his position. “The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far… We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World—and it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!” he wrote.
The president later posted screenshots of what he said were private text messages from foreign leaders. One message attributed to French President Emmanuel Macron read, “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.” Another message in the same exchange stated, “Let us try to build great things.” Trump also posted a screenshot of a message he said came from Rutte, which read that the NATO chief was “committed to finding a way forward on Greenland.”
The diplomatic escalation coincided with new military activity in Greenland. Denmark confirmed that the head of the Royal Danish Army and a “substantial contribution” of soldiers had arrived on the island to participate in multinational exercises known as Operation Arctic Endurance. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have also sent troops to Greenland in recent days. European officials described the deployments as part of coordinated exercises, but their timing reflected growing concern about Trump’s statements.
Alongside military signaling, Trump has threatened economic retaliation against European countries that oppose his demand to purchase Greenland from Denmark. He has vowed to impose tariffs on goods entering the United States from the UK and seven other NATO allied countries unless a deal is reached. Trump said the tariffs would begin at 10 percent on “any and all goods” starting February 1 and rise to 25 percent from June 1.
Asked whether he would follow through on the tariff threats, Trump told NBC News, “I will, 100 percent.” When questioned about the possibility of using force to seize Greenland, the president declined to rule it out, responding, “no comment.”
European leaders responded with firm warnings. Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Trump’s approach crossed clear boundaries. “We have red lines that can’t be crossed,” Rasmussen said. “You can’t threaten your way to ownership of Greenland. I have no intention of escalating this situation.”
The United Kingdom also rejected Trump’s position. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the future of the island is for “Greenlanders and for the Danes alone” to decide. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed concern about the economic fallout of Trump’s threats, stating, “We do not want this escalation. We do not want a trade dispute with the United States of America.”
Merz also addressed recent NATO activity, noting that a reconnaissance mission had been announced and agreed upon in advance. “It was never a military action,” he said.
Denmark has warned that any U.S. military action in Greenland would effectively spell the end of NATO. The alliance, founded in 1949, has never faced a situation in which a U.S. president openly threatened economic punishment and potential force against multiple member states over territorial control.
European Union leaders are now preparing a coordinated response. An emergency summit is scheduled in Brussels, where officials will discuss how to respond to Trump’s threats. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would not escalate the conflict but would not yield to coercion. The EU, she said, has “no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground.” She added, “Sovereignty is not for trade.”
Trump dismissed European objections, arguing that allies should focus on other global crises. “Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them,” he said. “That’s what Europe should focus on—not Greenland.”
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, holds strategic and mineral significance that has drawn growing interest from U.S. political and business circles. European officials have repeatedly emphasized that its status cannot be altered through threats of force or economic retaliation.
As troops continue joint exercises in the Arctic and European leaders meet to defend Greenland’s sovereignty, Trump’s declaration that there can be “no going back” has deepened fears of a prolonged confrontation that could fundamentally strain transatlantic relations.
“We have red lines that can’t be crossed,” Rasmussen said. “You can’t threaten your way to ownership of Greenland. I have no intention of escalating this situation.”
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