The US President has reiterated his desire to take control of the territory
Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs against countries that “don’t go along with Greenland,” as he reiterated his desire to take control of the territory for “national security” reasons.
The US President made the threat towards those not supporting his plan during a speech on Friday.
Speaking from the Whitehouse, Mr Trump said: “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
US officials have previously warned that they could use “military means” to acquire it.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Citizens of Greenland are citizens of Denmark.
Mr Trump’s comments follow a meeting on Wednesday between Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, along with US secretary of state Marco Rubio and vice president JD Vance.
Speaking at the press conference in Washington after the meeting, Motzfeldt and Rasmussen announced a new working group with the US in response to threats of invasion.
But Rasmussen told reporters that there is still a “fundamental disagreement” with the US over the future of Greenland and that Trump’s administration had made his views clear.
At a healthcare event on Friday, Mr Trump said he threatened the leaders of multiple countries to either raise drug prices as part of a “most favored nations” deal, or else face heavy tariffs on all their imports to the U.S.
He said: “I may do that for Greenland too. I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security.”
Greenland has become centre of the geopolitical storm with the White House insisting the US wants to own the island – and the residents of its capital, Nuuk.
From left, Foreign Affairs Minister of Greenland Vivian Motzfeldt, Foreign Affairs Minister of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. Picture: Alamy
In a social media post earlier this week, Mr Trump reiterated his argument that the US “needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security”.
He added that “NATO should be leading the way for us to get it” and that otherwise Russia or China would.”NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES.
“Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
The president’s claim that Greenland is vital to US security is because of its strategic location and large supply of minerals.
By Alex Storey
