President Trump increased tensions with U.S. allies after saying his push to control Greenland was partly because he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He announced a 10% tariff on several countries that support Denmark and Greenland, which led to strong criticism from European leaders. Greenlanders held large protests, saying they would not be pressured. Leaders in Denmark, Norway, and the U.K. urged calm talks instead of threats. Trump’s message to Norway, where he said the world was not safe unless the U.S. controlled Greenland, worried many European governments.
European countries explained that their small troop visits to Greenland were only to study Arctic security, especially with concerns about Russia and China. NATO leaders said the Arctic is important for the safety of the alliance, and some European nations may increase their presence there. Since many of the countries hit by tariffs are part of the European Union, the EU said it was ready to defend itself and called for an emergency meeting. What began as a dispute over tariffs has now grown into a larger conflict involving trade, security, and control of the Arctic region.