Key Facts
• January 16, 2026: Trump attends ceremony at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
• January 17, 2026: Trump announces 10% tariffs on Denmark and 7 other European NATO allies from February 1.
• EU emergency meeting held January 18 to discuss response.
• EU considers retaliatory tariffs worth 93 billion euros (~17 trillion yen).
• Tariffs target Denmark’s autonomous territory Greenland amid U.S. sovereignty demands.
• EU diplomats emphasize Arctic peace, NATO cooperation, and reject tariff threats.
• EU prepared to defend against coercion and intimidation.
• Retaliatory tariffs were pre-planned during last year’s U.S.-EU tariff disputes.
• EU views U.S. tariff move as damaging transatlantic relations and prior agreements.
Summary
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive move to claim Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, by leveraging tariffs, the European Union is preparing a significant countermeasure. Trump announced a 10% tariff on Denmark and seven other European NATO countries starting February 1, 2026, as a response to Greenland’s refusal to cede sovereignty. In reaction, the EU convened an emergency meeting on January 18, emphasizing the importance of Arctic security and NATO collaboration. The EU condemned the use of tariffs as a political threat, which undermines transatlantic relations and contradicts last year’s tariff negotiation agreements. As a swift countermeasure, the EU is considering imposing retaliatory tariffs valued at 93 billion euros (approximately 17 trillion yen), a plan originally devised during previous U.S.-EU trade tensions. The EU also affirmed its readiness to defend against any form of coercion or intimidation, signaling a deepening rift between Europe and the United States over Greenland’s strategic importance.
