‘Now it’s time’: Trump claims NATO warned Denmark for 20 years over Russian threat to Greenland

Trump's sharpens Greenland pitch

• Trump urges US control of Greenland, citing Russian threat and NATO issues
• US to impose tariffs on Europe over Greenland stance starting February
• EU mulls tariffs; leaders warn of harm to transatlantic relations

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US President Donald Trump intensified his push to bring Greenland under American control, accusing Denmark of failing to counter what he described as a growing Russian security threat to the strategically important Arctic island.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.’ Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”

The remarks come amid rising transatlantic tensions after Trump announced plans to impose sweeping tariffs on several European nations opposing Washington’s stance on Greenland.

According to the US president, a 10 per cent import duty would take effect from February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland, rising to 25 per cent from June 1 if no agreement is reached.

Trump said the tariffs are intended to force negotiations, arguing that Greenland is vital to US national security and vulnerable to foreign influence. In an earlier post, he said, “The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them.”

Denmark reacted with surprise, with Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen saying the announcement was unexpected, especially after what he described as constructive discussions with senior US officials in Washington. Several European leaders also warned that the proposed measures could seriously damage transatlantic relations and weaken trust within NATO.

Why is Greenland significant? 

Greenland, a mineral-rich, semi-autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark, is home to about 57,000 people and occupies a key position along Arctic routes. The United States already maintains a military presence on the island under a 1951 defence agreement, including the Pituffik Space Base, which supports missile warning, missile defence, and space surveillance operations for the US and NATO.

The issue is expected to feature prominently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed he will meet Trump this week. “Spoke with POTUS regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week.”

European nations, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, have issued a joint statement warning that the tariff threat undermines transatlantic cooperation and risks a “dangerous downward spiral.”

The European Union is also weighing the reactivation of €93 billion in previously suspended retaliatory tariffs on US goods, according to diplomats. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the bloc to trigger its Anti-Coercion Instrument, widely referred to as the EU’s “trade bazooka,” to counter Washington’s pressure.