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By Daniel Orton
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Right-wing populists in Europe who have championed President Donald Trump’s nationalist agenda are now breaking ranks, condemning his threat to slap tariffs on nations that oppose his aggressive push to obtain Greenland as a reckless move that could harm trans-Atlantic unity.
Why It Matters
This rare fracture among ideologically aligned leaders highlights the limits of Trump's leveraging of economic power among allies, and signals a critical test for U.S. alliances, NATO solidarity and global trade stability. The pushback underscores deeper concerns about U.S. credibility, the boundaries of diplomatic pressure, and the respect of sovereignty among partners facing mounting international uncertainty.
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What To Know
On January 17, Trump announced a 10 percent import tariff from February 1—rising to 25 percent from June 1—on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland, unless negotiations result in what he called the "Complete and Total purchase of Greenland" by the U.S. The tariff threats, coming via a post on Trump's Truth Social platform, marked an escalation in U.S. demands after months of expressing interest in acquiring the semiautonomous Danish territory, citing national security reasons and competition with China and Russia.
The announcement triggered broad condemnation from European NATO members, who had recently conducted a joint reconnaissance mission to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, as part of an Arctic defense exercise. Protests erupted in Greenland and Denmark, with participants denouncing any sale of the territory and reaffirming a commitment to self-governance. The diplomatic row coincided with strained meetings between U.S., Danish, and Greenlandic officials in Washington, which failed to resolve the dispute.
Financial markets responded to the heightened uncertainty, with European stocks falling and gold and silver prices rising as investors sought safe havens.
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One of the most notable elements of the fallout has been the public criticism from right-wing and traditionally pro-Trump figures and parties across Europe and the U.K. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, a populist right-wing party in Britain, issued a strong rebuke on Monday.
"To use economic threats against the country that’s been considered to be your closest ally for over a hundred years is not the kind of thing we would expect," Farage said.
"It’s wrong, it’s bad, it would be very very hurtful to us," added the man Trump once described as a "great guy."
Farage also told reporters Monday he would be "having some words" with the Trump administration at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, but suggested it was "always difficult to tell" if Trump was "bluffing or not."
Italy’s right-wing prime minister Giorgia Meloni, whose country was not targeted but is a member of NATO, on Sunday called the threatened U.S. tariffs over Greenland "a mistake," diverging from her administration’s frequent alignment with Trump’s foreign policy.
France’s far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella on January 12 accused Trump of "imperial ambitions," and Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, often supportive of Trump, expressed skepticism and criticized the destabilizing potential of the tariffs over the weekend.
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post on Saturday, wrote: "We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown."
Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of the AfD, said: "Wild West methods are to be rejected here, and the end does not always justify the means."
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO secretary-general and former Danish prime minister, recently told the Financial Times: "I am actually concerned that the world’s attention is now focused on something that does not represent a threat, neither to Europe nor to the United States—namely Greenland, a friendly ally of the United States—instead of focusing on what should be the focal point right now: namely, how can we force Putin to the negotiation table in Ukraine?"
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What Happens Next
The diplomatic and political rift has already prompted emergency meetings among European Union ambassadors and may spur negotiations on retaliatory tariffs by the EU, though U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will prioritize dialogue to avoid escalation.
The legality of Trump’s ability to impose the tariffs is itself under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, with a decision expected soon.
In Greenland, Denmark, and among NATO allies, officials are increasing military cooperation and commitments to Arctic security, but insist that Greenland's future must be determined by its people and Denmark alone. This episode may mark a turning point in how closely aligned right-wing groups in Europe remain with Trump—and how U.S. policy is received among even its staunchest ideological partners.
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