U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to impose additional tariffs on the United Kingdom, Denmark, and other European countries until what he describes as a “Greenland deal” is reached, further reinforcing his long-standing use of tariffs as a foreign policy weapon.
The announcement is the latest example of Trump’s reliance on tariffs not just for economic leverage but as a substitute for traditional diplomacy, a strategy his critics have frequently accused him of “weaponising.”
For Trump, tariffs serve a broader strategic purpose beyond the economic benefits he claims they deliver to the United States. In many cases, they have replaced conventional diplomatic tools as their preferred method of applying international pressure.
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Recently, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on countries trading with Iran as part of efforts to pressure the Iranian regime amid ongoing protests. In November, he also claimed he threatened India and Pakistan with tariffs of up to 350 per cent, a move he said pushed both countries to the negotiating table.
Other instances include the imposition of additional tariffs on Brazil following the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and punitive tariffs on Canada after Ontario’s Premier aired anti-tariff advertisements on television.
Trump’s authority to impose tariffs has not gone unchallenged domestically, with a Supreme Court ruling still pending on whether his actions comply with federal law.
The tariff threats come amid renewed controversy over Trump’s insistence that the United States must acquire Greenland for national security reasons. He has not ruled out the use of military force, stating that America would take control of the island “the easy way” or “the hard way.”
While Trump has previously suggested the possibility of purchasing Greenland, the proposal has been firmly rejected by Greenland’s leadership and by Denmark, a NATO member state that retains sovereignty over the semi-autonomous territory.
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and the Arctic makes it a critical point for missile early-warning systems and maritime surveillance in the region. Trump has repeatedly warned that rival powers could move in if the U.S. does not act.
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland,” he has said.
In an interview recorded before Trump announced the latest tariffs, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that he does not foresee American military intervention in Greenland.
Johnson, a close Trump ally, said “diplomatic channels are the way to go” and pointed to Trump’s appointment of a Greenland envoy as evidence of that approach.
He described Trump’s handling of the situation as “playing chess,” adding that he had not discussed the matter directly with the president.
BBC