Greenland: No threat’ll influence us – France responds to Trump’s tariff hike

Donald Trump, United States president, has announced plans to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on goods exported to the US from eight European countries, citing the unresolved Greenland saga.

The affected countries are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Great Britain, nations already dealing with tariffs imposed by Trump in 2025.

Trump said the new tariff would apply to “all or any goods” from the affected countries beginning from February 1.

In a post on Truth Social, the US president said the tariffs will increase to 25 percent in June 1 and the measures would remain until “such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.

According to the BBC, the announcement is the latest instance of Trump deploying tariffs as a foreign policy tool, a strategy his critics have often described as “weaponising” trade.

In his response on X, the French President, Emmanuel Macron has said that no intimidation or threat’ll influence his country neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when confronted with tariff hike situations.
According to him, “France is committed to the sovereignty and independence of nations, in Europe and elsewhere. This guides our choices. It underpins our commitment to the United Nations and to its Charter.

“It is on this basis that we support, and will continue to support Ukraine and that we have built a coalition of the willing for a robust and lasting peace, to defend these principles and our security.

“It is also on this basis that we decided to take part in the exercise organized by Denmark in Greenland. We fully assume this decision, because security in the Arctic and at the outer edges of our Europe is at stake.
“No intimidation or threat will influence us—neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations.

“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed.

“We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld. It is in this spirit that I will engage with our European partners”, the French President concluded.

Report has it that Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US needs to acquire Greenland for “national security reasons” and has not ruled out the use of military force.
The BBC reported that while a possible purchase has been floated, US President said he intends to take control of the island “the easy way” or “the hard way”.

Trump’s demands have been rejected by Greenland’s leaders and by Denmark, a Nato member state of which Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory.

Also recently, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on countries trading with Iran as part of a broader effort to pressure the Iranian regime amid ongoing protests.

He has also previously credited tariffs with helping to end conflicts abroad. In November, Trump said he had threatened India and the Pakistan with 350 percent tariffs, prompting both countries to return to negotiations.