U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington could consider imposing tariffs on countries that oppose U.S. efforts to gain control over Greenland, reiterating his view that the Arctic island is vital to American national security.
Speaking during an unrelated White House event on rural health care, Trump said he may use trade measures to pressure allies that resist U.S. objectives in Greenland, noting that tariffs had previously been used to advance U.S. interests in other disputes. “I may do that for Greenland too,” he said, citing security concerns and strategic competition in the Arctic.
The comments came days after talks in Washington between U.S., Danish, and Greenlandic officials failed to bridge deep differences over the island’s future. The meeting, attended by Denmark’s and Greenland’s foreign ministers alongside U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, resulted in plans to establish a working group, though Copenhagen and the White House later offered differing accounts of its purpose.
Trump has repeatedly argued that U.S. control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is necessary to counter Russian and Chinese activity and secure access to critical minerals. The White House has said all options remain under consideration.
