President Donald Trump responded with a brief “no comment” when questioned about the possibility of using military force to acquire Greenland. This comes after his previous statement indicating the United States would secure Greenland by any means necessary, including imposing tariffs on nations opposing the acquisition.
In light of Trump’s threats of a trade war over Greenland, Sir Keir Starmer urged for calm and downplayed the likelihood of a US invasion. The British Prime Minister emphasized the importance of resolving the disagreement over Greenland’s strategic value through peaceful discussions among allies rather than resorting to military or economic conflicts.
Trump announced plans to impose a 10% tariff on all goods shipped from the UK to the US starting February 1, with an increase to 25% by June 1, until an agreement is reached for the US to buy Greenland from Denmark. Similar tariffs would apply to other NATO member countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.
Sir Keir expressed skepticism about Trump’s seriousness regarding a potential invasion of Greenland, stressing the need for calm negotiations based on shared principles and values. He condemned the use of tariffs as an inappropriate tactic within an alliance and reiterated that the sovereignty of Greenland should be determined solely by Greenland and Denmark.
In addressing the crisis, Sir Keir emphasized the importance of unity and peaceful dialogue, rejecting the use of tariffs against allies and underscoring the imperative of strengthening Greenland’s security without resorting to economic pressure tactics.