On January 17, 2026, President Trump said on Friday (January 16th) that if some countries do not support the United States’ control of Greenland, he may respond by imposing tariffs.
“I may impose tariffs on some countries if they do not cooperate on the issue of Greenland. For national security, we need Greenland. So I might do that,” Trump said at an event about rural healthcare investment at the White House.
At the time of the above remarks, a US congressional delegation composed of lawmakers from both parties was meeting with Danish and Greenlandic lawmakers in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, trying to “de-escalate” the recent tensions.
The leader of the delegation, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, thanked Denmark after the meeting, saying that Denmark has been “a good and reliable ally and partner for 225 years” and that both sides had a “strong, substantive dialogue” on extending cooperation into the future.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska emphasized after the meeting that Greenland should be seen as an ally, not an asset, stating, “I think that’s what you heard from this delegation.”
Murkowski and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire proposed the “NATO Unity Protection Act,” which aims to prohibit the use of funds from the US Department of Defense or State Department to annex, control, or block the sovereign territory of any NATO member without the consent of allies or authorization from the NATO Council.
Despite the presence of US military bases in the region, Trump argues that due to ambitions displayed by China and Russia in the Arctic region, the United States must possess Greenland for national security reasons.
The White House had previously indicated that it was not ruling out making an acquisition proposal and was even considering various options, including the use of military force, to take control of this semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Danish and Greenlandic authorities have repeatedly stated that the territory is not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen made it clear on Tuesday that if forced to choose between the US and Denmark, “we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the European Union.”
Sara Olsvig, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council representing about 180,000 Inuit people, also expressed concerns about the US position, emphasizing that the local indigenous people do not want to be colonized again.
The tariff threat comes at a pivotal moment in a legal battle, as the US Supreme Court is set to rule on the legality of Trump’s imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Trump stated that this decision is crucial for advancing his policies and said, “I hope we win in the Supreme Court because if we don’t win, it will be regrettable for our country.”
Currently, the Trump administration has raised the average tariff rate in the US to about 17%.