Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on nations that don’t support his acquisition of Greenland.
‘I may put a tariff on countries that don’t go along with Greenland. We need Greenland for national security, so I may do that,’ the president told reporters at the White House on Friday.
Trump’s latest threat against the Danish territory came as a bipartisan congressional delegation arrived for talks in Copenhagen, aimed at shoring up support for America’s NATO ally.
Britain, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden announced yesterday the deployment of small numbers of troops to Greenland.
The 11 congressmen and women were to hold talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
‘We are showing bipartisan solidarity with the people of this country and with Greenland. They’ve been our friends and allies for decades,’ Democratic Senator Dick Durbin told reporters.
‘We want them to know we appreciate that very much. And the statements being made by the president do not reflect what the American people feel.’
The delegation’s visit follows a meeting in Washington on Wednesday at which Danish representatives said they are in ‘fundamental disagreement’ with Trump over Greenland.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to promote investment in rural health care in the East Room of the White House, Friday
Aaja Chemnitz, Senator Chris Coons and Christian Friis Bach at Christiansborg on January 16, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark
In Greenland’s capital Nuuk, residents welcomed the show of support.
‘Congress would never approve of a military action in Greenland. It’s just one idiot speaking,’ a 39-year-old union representative said.
‘If he does it, he’ll get impeached or kicked out. If people in Congress want to save their own democracy, they have to step up,’ said the union rep, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Trump claims the United States needs mineral-rich Greenland and has criticized Denmark for, he says, not doing enough to ensure its security.
The president has pursued that argument, despite strategically located Greenland – as part of Denmark – being covered by NATO’s security umbrella.
Military personnel were more visible in Nuuk on Friday, days after Denmark said it was beefing up its defense on the island.
‘I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen retorted that a US acquisition of Greenland was ‘out of the question’.
A Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules for is parked on the tarmak at Nuuk international airport on January 15, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland, the day after it arrived transporting Danish military personnel
The European troop deployment in Greenland for a military exercise is aimed at ‘sending a signal’ to ‘everyone’, including the United States, that European countries are determined to ‘defend (their) sovereignty’, French armed forces minister Alice Rufo said.
‘A first team of French service members is already on site and will be reinforced in the coming days with land, air and maritime assets,’ French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
Large demonstrations are planned across Denmark and Greenland on Saturday to protest against Trump’s territorial ambitions.
Thousands of people have taken to social networks to say they intend to take part in the protests organized by Greenlandic associations in Nuuk and Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense.
In addition to Durbin, the US delegation included Democratic senators Chris Coons, Jeanne Shaheen and Peter Welch, as well as Republicans Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis.
Democrats from the House of Representatives in the delegation are Madeleine Dean, Steny Hoyer, Sara Jacobs, Sarah McBride and Gregory Meeks.
