Europe's Tough Stance on Trump: Greenland Crisis Sparks New Dynamics

Tue Jan 20 2026 11:25:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As President Trump urges for US control over Greenland, European leaders are expressing solidarity with Denmark, preparing for potential trade retaliations, and reassessing their approach to US relations.

The ongoing tension over Greenland, claimed by the US for its national security, has prompted European leaders to adopt a firmer stance against President Trump's demands. As EU countries warn against the use of tariffs as a political weapon, they are uniting to protect Denmark’s sovereignty and their economic interests amidst fears of a US-led trade war.

Something in Europe has snapped. Donald Trump doubled down again on Monday, in his insistence that the US needs Greenland for national security reasons.

Is he prepared to use force to seize it, journalists asked him? No comment, said the president, sending chills down the spine of Greenland's anxious inhabitants. Again.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark - a member of the EU and of NATO. President Trump is now leaning heavily on Denmark's allies in both those organizations to abandon Copenhagen and let the US take control of Greenland, or face punitive taxes on all their exports to the United States.

It's a horror scenario for European economies, which are already in the doldrums. Especially those reliant on exporting to the US, like Germany's car industry and Italy's luxury goods market.

On Monday, Germany's finance minister stated, we will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed after an emergency meeting with his French counterpart.

The Trump threats landed like a slap in the face of European governments, who had just settled tariff deals with the US president the previous year.

France's finance minister remarked, We're living through uncharted territories. An ally, a friend of 250 years, is considering using tariffs… as a geopolitical weapon, while Germany's Lars Klingbeil added, A line has been crossed... Europe must be prepared.

In light of these developments, European leaders are adjusting their diplomatic strategies, aiming to support Arctic security while warning Trump of potential tariffs on US goods should he advance with his Greenland plans.

EU Commission deputy spokesperson Olof Gill emphasized, Our priority is to engage, not escalate, as discussions continue at the Global Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Responses to Trump's actions are crucial, as European nations navigate maintaining their economic ties while asserting their territorial rights. Coalition-building within Europe remains essential to facing challenges posed by an aggressive US foreign policy.