Donald Trump's multi-year effort to acquire Greenland has involved breaking with NATO allies and threatening to raise tariffs by 10-25% on eight countries opposing the move. Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing retaliatory measures, which may include the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI).
Relations between the United States and several European nations have become severely strained after President Donald Trump announced his intent to acquire Greenland, a self-governing territory under Denmark. This announcement has met widespread international opposition, especially from Denmark and the European Union, longtime close allies of the U.S., potentially shaking Western Hemisphere relations and impacting the broader geopolitical landscape.
This is not the first time President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to incorporate Greenland into the United States, having brought up the idea multiple times over the years.
In 2019, during his first term as U.S. president, Trump openly proposed buying Greenland. However, the idea was rejected outright by both the Danish government and Greenland’s administration, who jointly affirmed that "Greenland is not for sale."
Interest resurfaced after Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, with the U.S. government taking a clearer stance. Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland in March and criticized Denmark for insufficient investment in the territory’s protection and defense.
Later in 2025, Jeff Landry was appointed as a special envoy to Greenland, signaling a firm policy push to incorporate Greenland into the U.S. This appointment indicated the issue was more than symbolic rhetoric but had become an active political agenda.
Then on 3 January 2025, after the U.S. launched operations in Venezuela and detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife to face drug-related terrorism charges in the U.S., global concern arose about whether similar actions might be taken elsewhere, particularly Greenland, where Trump had consistently signaled interest.
These concerns materialized shortly thereafter. On 6 January 2026, the White House issued a statement saying President Donald Trump had discussed various options for seizing Greenland, including military force. It emphasized that acquiring Greenland was a top priority for national security, drawing international condemnation, especially from the European Union.
On 17 January 2026, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on imports from eight countries opposing the Greenland acquisition, all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), namely Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. The tariffs would be implemented in two phases: starting at 10% from 1 February and increasing to 25% on 1 June if no agreement on Greenland was reached.
Most recently, on 19 January 2026, EU leaders planned an emergency meeting in Brussels on Thursday (22 January) to discuss responses. Among the options was reinstating retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports worth €93 billion (approximately 3.4 trillion baht), which could automatically take effect on 6 February after a six-month suspension.
Another option under consideration was invoking the "Anti-Coercion Instrument" (ACI), a tool never before used. The ACI serves to counteract economic coercion by other countries against the EU, covering restrictions on public procurement, investment, banking activities, and trade in services — a sector where the U.S. runs a trade surplus with the EU, especially in digital services.
The eight countries threatened with tariffs issued a joint statement affirming support for Denmark and the people of Greenland. They emphasized that, as NATO members, all are committed to strengthening security in the Arctic region, which is a shared interest among transatlantic allies.
The statement also warned that tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk rapidly escalating into an uncontrollable crisis.
Greenland is the world's largest island, located in the Arctic region, covering about 2.2 million square kilometers. Situated between North America and the Arctic Circle, it holds immense strategic value as an early warning site for missile attacks and for monitoring naval and military activity in the Arctic.
Beyond security, Greenland is increasingly eyed as a crucial natural resource hub. In recent years, interest has surged in its rare earth minerals, uranium, iron ore, and the potential discovery of significant oil and natural gas reserves.
These strategic resource considerations align with Trump's geopolitical and economic security views, which prioritize resource-rich regions globally, such as Ukraine. However, Trump has emphasized that "We want Greenland for national security reasons, not for the minerals."
He has repeatedly warned about threats from rival powers, cautioning that if the U.S. does not take a role in Greenland, Russia or China could step in, shifting power balances and security in the Arctic and on the global stage long term.