Is this the moment Europe tells Trump 'no,' by freezing the EU–US trade deal?

MEPs across parties say approving a trade pact with Washington would reward Donald Trump’s threats toward Greenland and undermine EU credibility.

• EU lawmakers push to freeze US trade deal after Trump's Greenland threats
• Centre-left, liberal, green, and left groups openly resist the trade agreement
• A united Socialist, Renew, and Greens front could block or freeze the deal

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Senior lawmakers in the European Parliament are pushing to freeze the EU–US trade deal after US President Donald Trump renewed threats over Greenland, arguing that approving the agreement would amount to rewarding territorial intimidation, Politico reported.

The trade deal, already controversial in Brussels for tilting heavily in Washington’s favour, is now facing open resistance from centre-left, liberal, green and left-wing political groups after Trump said this week that the US “needs Greenland from the standpoint of national security” and refused to rule out military intervention.

Trade pact meets political backlash

Under the deal, most EU exports face a 15 percent US tariff. In return, the EU would abolish all tariffs on US industrial goods, including the 10 percent duty on American cars, and widen access for some US agricultural and seafood products.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had defended the agreement as the cost of stabilising transatlantic relations under Trump. But lawmakers now argue that the political context has changed.

“I cannot imagine that in the current situation MEPs would vote for any trade measures benefiting the U.S.,” Anna Cavazzini, the Greens’ top trade lawmaker and chair of the Internal Market Committee, told Politico.

Brando Benifei, a Socialist lawmaker who chairs Parliament’s delegation for relations with the US, said a confrontation over the deal was unavoidable. “We should have such a discussion, it’s inevitable,” he said, according to Politico.

Calls to formally freeze the deal

Danish MEP Per Clausen has circulated a letter urging Parliament President Roberta Metsola to freeze parliamentary work on the agreement. The deadline for signatures is Tuesday.

“If we accept this agreement while Trump is threatening the international order and making direct territorial claims against Denmark, it will be seen as rewarding his actions,” Clausen told Politico.

Renew Europe’s trade heavyweight Karin Karlsbro said guarantees from Washington were now essential. “If we are to give it the green light, we need guarantees that the U.S. will stop its tariffs and its security-related threats,” she said.

EPP divided, numbers uncertain

The largest political group, the European People’s Party (EPP), has not taken a unified position. While its negotiators say the deal should remain a foundation for stable trade, senior figures have stopped short of guaranteeing support.

Crucially, the EPP lacks the numbers to pass the agreement alone. A united front by the Socialists, Renew and the Greens would be sufficient to block or freeze the deal, Politico reported.

Parliament’s negotiators on the US file are scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss next steps.