Dutch Foreign Minister Slams Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Blackmail’

AMSTERDAM, Jan 18: The Netherlands’ foreign minister has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on European allies linked to the issue of Greenland, calling the move “blackmail” that risks damaging transatlantic relations.

Foreign Minister David van Weel said Trump’s approach was unnecessary and counterproductive, arguing that it undermines both NATO unity and Greenland’s interests.

“It’s blackmail what he’s doing, and it doesn’t help the alliance or Greenland,” van Weel said in an interview with Dutch television on Sunday.

Trump announced on his Truth Social platform on Saturday that an additional 10% import tariff would be imposed from February 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Great Britain. The affected countries are among those that have agreed to contribute personnel to a NATO exercise in Greenland.

Van Weel explained that the NATO mission was meant to demonstrate Europe’s willingness to assist in defending Greenland, and said he strongly opposed linking trade pressure with diplomatic discussions over the island’s future.

Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants full ownership of Greenland, an autonomous territory under Denmark, arguing that it is crucial to U.S. national security due to its strategic location and natural resources. However, leaders in both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea, saying the island is not for sale and has no desire to become part of the United States.

In response to the escalating dispute, ambassadors from the European Union’s 27 member states are set to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to coordinate a response to the proposed U.S. tariffs, amid growing concern over their potential impact on relations between Europe and Washington.