"Greenland Is Not for Sale": Trump Imposes 10% Retaliatory Tariffs Amid Acquisition Bid

"Greenland is not for sale." This was the defiant cry of thousands of Greenlanders who marched through Nuuk on January 17, 2026. As citizens rallied to defend their self-governance, Donald Trump escalated his bid to acquire the mineral-rich island by announcing a 10% import tax on eight European nations. The move marks a dramatic pivot from diplomatic overtures to economic warfare in the Arctic.

The Escalation: Trump Greenland Acquisition and Tariff Retaliation

Speaking from Florida, President Trump confirmed the new tariffs would take effect in February. He argued the US needs control of the territory for "national security," claiming without evidence that China and Russia are attempting to dominate the region. This aggressive stance follows only weeks after a US military operation ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, signaling a new era of interventionist foreign policy.

European Resistance and the Fight for Autonomy

EU leaders issued a joint statement standing in "full solidarity" with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Tillie Martinussen, a former Greenlandic MP, called the acquisition bid a "crazy idea" and stated, "This is a fight for freedom... for everything the Western Hemisphere has been fighting for since the Second World War." Greenlandic Minister Naaja Nathanielsen praised the swift European reaction to Trump's economic threats.