KABUL: U.S. President Donald Trump in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, threatened to impose new 10% tariffs on countries supporting Greenland, set to take effect from the beginning of next month (February).
According to Reuters, the U.S. President’s move has drawn immediate backlash from European leaders and the UK.
The UK described Trump’s decision as “completely wrong and unacceptable,” while the European Commission and Council warned that it would be “detrimental to relations.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that imposing tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO members is entirely inappropriate. “We will certainly address this matter directly with the U.S. administration,” he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that if this decision is implemented, Europe would respond in a coordinated manner.
The 10% tariff would apply to imports from European countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the UK.
The decision came after these countries deployed military forces to counter Trump’s idea of acquiring Greenland, an autonomous island within the Kingdom of Denmark, which Trump has deemed important for national security and its mineral resources.
It remains to be seen how this dispute will evolve between the U.S. and its European allies.