Trump tariffs: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European allies over
Greenland, saying the island’s future was a matter solely for Denmark and its people. Responding to Trump’s announcement that the United States would levy 10 per cent tariffs on Denmark and several European nations to force negotiations on purchasing Greenland, Starmer said the UK government’s position was “very clear.” “Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,” Starmer said in an official statement. The British leader also emphasised the strategic importance of the Arctic region and called for stronger cooperation among NATO members to counter growing Russian influence. “We have also made clear that Arctic security matters for the whole of NATO, and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia across different parts of the Arctic,” he added. Starmer directly criticised Trump’s proposal to use trade measures against close partners, calling the move unjustified and counterproductive. “Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong,” the UK Prime Minister said. US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced an extraordinary public threat to impose tariffs on Denmark and several European Union countries unless they agree to negotiate the sale of Greenland to the United States. In a strongly worded post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump accused Denmark of refusing for decades to discuss the transfer of Greenland, which he described as critical to American and global security. He also warned that China and Russia were eyeing the Arctic territory, claiming Denmark was incapable of defending it. “We have subsidised Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs,” Trump wrote. “Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake.” Trump announced that beginning February 1, 2026, the US would impose a 10 per cent tariff on all goods imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. He added that the tariff would be raised to 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if no agreement is reached. “This tariff will be due and payable until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland,” he declared. The US President has also claimed that Washington had tried to buy Greenland for more than 150 years, but successive Danish governments had rejected the idea. He argued that modern security needs, including advanced weapons systems and what he referred to as “The Golden Dome” defence project, made acquiring Greenland essential. “Because of modern day weapons systems, both offensive and defensive, the need to acquire is especially important,” Trump wrote, adding that the island’s location was vital for the effective functioning of US security infrastructure. Trump further alleged that several European countries had recently increased activity in Greenland for “purposes unknown,” calling it a “dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet.” “These countries have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” he said. Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has long been of strategic interest to the United States because of its location in the Arctic and its proximity to North America. However, both Denmark and Greenland’s local government have repeatedly insisted that the island is not for sale. Trump ended his post by saying the US was “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark” and other affected nations, but made it clear that tariffs would remain in place until his demand was met.
