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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump said on Friday he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support U.S. efforts to take control of Greenland, though he offered no details.
Trump argued the United States needs the Arctic island for national security and has for months maintained that it should control Greenland, a self-governing territory within the kingdom of Denmark. He had not previously suggested using tariffs to advance the idea.
“We need Greenland for national security. So I may do that,” Trump said at the White House.
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European leaders, echoing Denmark’s position, have said the U.S. cannot assume control of the world’s largest island.
Why It Matters
The president has used tariffs as a way to enact other policies of his during his second term, saying the increased fees on imports were necessary to bring back American manufacturing, and turn other countries away from adversaries including China.
The policy of imposing and adjusting tariffs has been criticized, at times for potentially causing rifts between the U.S. and other countries, and for leading to higher prices for Americans as companies pass on the cost to them.
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What To Know
Trump raised the Greenland issue during a roundtable event at the White House on rural healthcare investment, as the administration seeks to tackle rising costs and give money directly to Americans, bypassing health insurance companies.
Using tariffs as a way to get other nations to back him on the U.S. taking control of Greenland has not been floated by the president before, but it is a familiar tactic. In the early days of his second term, Trump threatened, imposed, and withdrew tariffs on Canada and Mexico over drug trafficking across their borders with the U.S.
On Monday, Trump warned the U.S. would face chaos if the Supreme Court strikes down his tariff authority in a case that is before them, claiming it would be “a complete mess” for the government to repay the billions collected under his trade measures.
Trump wrote on social media that issuing refunds could be nearly impossible, saying the amounts involved would be so large it could take years to determine “who, when and where” to pay.
Meanwhile, the White House has largely seen opposition from other countries over the idea of the U.S. taking Greenland from Denmark, with discussions between the three nations earlier this week failing to resolve the differences over how the situation moves forward.
That meeting, led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, did produce an agreement to set up a working group, but Denmark and the White House then offered different perspectives on its purpose.
European and leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have insisted that the people of Greenland, and Denmark, should be the ones to decide their future, not the U.S., with Trump not ruling out military action to take the island.
What People Are Saying
Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, said on Friday: “I think it is important to underscore that when you ask the American people whether or not they think it is a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, the vast majority, some 75%, will say, we do not think that that is a good idea."
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Tuesday: "If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU.”
He also wrote in a social media post on Thursday: “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed from the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.”
Representative Randy Fine, a Florida Republican, said in a press release on Monday: "For too long, American leadership stood by while our adversaries chipped away at our geopolitical dominance. My bill will protect our homeland, secure our economic future, and ensure that America—not China or Russia—sets the rules in the Arctic. That is what American leadership and strength look like.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: “The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent - Not even close! They know that, and so do I. NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES.”
What Happens Next
While the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland continue their discussions behind closed doors, public statements from all sides continue to show different approaches.
Update 1/16/26, 12:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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