Washington, Jan 17 — US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced a 10 per cent import tariff on goods from eight European countries, linking the move to their opposition to US control of Greenland.
In a social media post, Trump said the tariff would take effect in February and apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. He warned the levy would be increased to 25 per cent from June 1 if talks fail.
“The tariff will be raised to 25 per cent on June 1 if a deal is not in place for the ‘Complete and Total purchase of Greenland’ by the United States,” Trump wrote.
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has consistently rejected any proposal for sale. Danish authorities and European leaders have maintained that the island’s status is not open to negotiation.
Trump’s statement directly ties trade penalties to the Greenland issue, escalating pressure on key US allies. There was no immediate response from the countries named in the announcement.
Read more | Why Greenland Matters to Trump