European leaders have mounted a formidable diplomatic front against President Donald Trump’s unprecedented threat to impose punitive tariffs on eight NATO allies unless they acquiesce to his proposed acquisition of Greenland. The confrontation has escalated transatlantic tensions to levels not witnessed in decades.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared “Europe won’t be blackmailed” as she coordinated with counterparts from Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These nations issued a joint statement condemning Trump’s approach as risking a “dangerous downward spiral” in international relations.
The crisis emerged after Trump issued a February 1st deadline for compliance with his Greenland ambitions, threatening initial 10% tariffs that could escalate to 25% on goods from the targeted nations. The U.S. president has framed the autonomous Danish territory as critical to American security interests, openly discussing acquisition “the easy way or the hard way.”
European response has been swift and unified. An emergency meeting convened in Brussels on Sunday, where leaders discussed activating the EU’s “anti-coercion instrument” should Trump follow through on his tariff threats. French President Emmanuel Macron is coordinating the collective European response, emphasizing principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The geopolitical stakes extend beyond bilateral relations. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed discussions with Trump regarding “the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to “significantly increase Arctic security” in response to the escalating situation.
Public opposition appears overwhelming on both sides of the Atlantic. Recent polling indicates only 17% of Americans support acquiring Greenland, with 47% opposed. In Greenland itself, a January 2025 referendum showed merely 6% support for joining the United States versus 85% opposition. Weekend protests in Nuuk and Danish cities demonstrated growing public outrage.
The confrontation now moves to the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Trump, Macron, German leaders, and EU officials are scheduled to discuss “how can we cooperate in a more contested world?”—a theme that has taken on immediate practical significance amid the Greenland crisis.