President Donald Trump stated that he would impose tariffs on several European allies for dispatching troops to Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark that he has…

“Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland have gone to Greenland, with their purposes unknown. This poses a very dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“Starting from February 1st, 2026, all of the aforementioned countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland) will be levied a 10% tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America,” he added.

Trump further added that the tariff would rise to 25% on June 1 and would remain in effect “until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”

His remarks came as thousands held rallies on Saturday in the Danish cities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Odense, as well as in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, to oppose Trump’s annexation plans. In Nuuk, hundreds marched to the U.S. consulate, some carrying signs that read “Greenland is not for sale.”

Trump has contended that anything short of total U.S. control of Greenland would be “unacceptable,” and has stated that annexing the territory is necessary for “national security.”

European nations, meanwhile, have expressed strong opposition to the U.S. takeover of Greenland.

Earlier this week, Denmark augmented its military presence on the island and carried out joint military exercises with the European allies targeted by Trump’s tariffs.

Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, informed reporters during a visit to Washington this week that Denmark was strengthening security in the Arctic “by allocating additional funds for military capabilities—not dogsleds, but ships, drones, fighter jets, etc.,” referring to an often-repeated jibe by Trump that Denmark’s military presence on the island consisted solely of dogsleds.

Several European NATO allies announced that they were also sending military personnel to the island after Danish representatives emerged from meetings at the White House, stating that they had “fundamental disagreements” with the Trump administration over who should control Greenland.

Announcing France’s participation in the military exercises in Greenland, French President Emmanuel Macron targeted Trump’s ambitions.

“We live in a world where destabilizing powers have awoken,” Macron said.

“We are witnessing certainties that sometimes endured for decades being called into question, and Europe is being shaken in some of its certainties,” he said. Europe “sometimes has allies that we thought were predictable, always by our side, who are now making us have serious doubts, or even turning against those who doubted the least.”

The United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Norway have also sent troops to take part in the military exercise, Operation Arctic Endurance.

Greenland’s leaders and people have clearly opposed the possibility of the U.S. taking control of the territory. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said this week that the island would… over the U.S. if it had to choose, while polls indicate that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose the idea of becoming part of the U.S.

“Our country is not an object of superpower rhetoric. We are a people. A land. And a democracy,” Nielsen said earlier this month. “This has to be respected. Especially by close and loyal friends.”

Trump has frequently utilized tariffs as a… during his second term, negotiating deals with India, China, and the U.K. to lower tariffs in exchange for concessions on his policy priorities.