Back my Greenland plans or face tariffs, says Trump

Donald Trump threatened yesterday to impose tariffs on countries that did not "go along" with his plan to annex Greenland, increasing pressure on European allies who have opposed his effort to take over the Arctic territory.

- Miranda Bryant Joseph Gedeon

After a tense week in which Nato allies deployed troops to the largely autonomous territory, which is part of the Danish kingdom, the US president announced he might punish countries that did not support his plans to take over Greenland, using force if necessary.

Earlier Trump's special envoy to Greenland said a deal for Washington to take over the island "should and will be made" as he announced plans to visit Greenland in March. Jeff Landry also said the US president "is serious" about acquiring the largely autonomous territory.

Meanwhile a US congressional delegation visited Copenhagen in a show of support for Denmark and Greenland. The bipartisan group of 11 members of the House and Senate travelled to the capital of Denmark to meet the Danish and Greenlandic leaders, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, in a show of solidarity against Trump's threats of military intervention.

It is the second time this week Trump has used the threat of tariffs: he said he would impose a 25% tax on imports to the US from countries that did business with Iran amid a brutal crackdown by its regime that has left thousands dead.

Trump raised the latest tariffs idea yesterday during a wide-ranging 45-minute address at a packed rural healthcare event in the White House East Room. The president told the audience he might put tariffs on countries that did not "go along with Greenland because we need Greenland for national security".