Trump-Greenland newest: President threatens to ‘100%’ perform tariffs as Denmark ramps up navy presence
Donald Trump has vowed to “100 per cent” follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations that oppose his demand to take control of Greenland.
The U.S. president responded with “no comment” when asked whether he would send troops to the Danish territory to seize the island.
He told NBC News: “Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them… That’s what Europe should focus on – not Greenland.”
Trump has announced a 10 per cent import tax starting in February on goods from eight nations that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland.
Meanwhile, Denmark ramped up its military presence in Greenland while European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen met with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress.
TV 2 filmed Danish soldiers getting off a plane in Kangerlussuaq after Denmark announced it was sending a “substantial contribution” of its Armed Forces to the Arctic. The Nordic broadcaster reports that a large military exercise, called Arctic Endurance, is underway, which has intensified amid Trump’s Greenland threats.
Stocks slide, dollar struggles as Trump’s Greenland gambit rattles markets
Asian stocks fell this morning, while the dollar remained under pressure and the U.S. treasury yields climbed to their highest level in more than four months, as a resurgence of trade-war concerns hit risk sentiment and sparked selling in U.S. assets.
U.S. president Donald Trump’s push to take control of Greenland by threatening additional tariffs – a move that risks fuelling trade tensions with Europe – has led to uncertainty in the markets with investors scurrying for safe-haven assets, including the Swiss Franc and gold.
The tensions have revived talk of the “Sell America” trade that emerged in the aftermath of his sweeping “Liberation Day” levies last April, where investors sell U.S. stocks, dollar and treasuries.
That trade appeared to be gathering momentum in Asian hours today.
Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures slid 1 per cent in early trade, while the dollar remained vulnerable and the yield on 10-year U.S. treasury note rose to 4.265 per cent, its highest level since early September.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 0.44 per cent lower, inching further away from the record highs it hit last week.
Trump says he will ‘100%’ carry out Greenland tariffs threat
Donald Trump has vowed to follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations that oppose his demand to take control of Greenland.
However, Trump responded with “no comment” when asked by NBC News whether he would use force to seize the Danish territory.
Asked if he will follow through on the tariff threat, Trump said: “I will, 100 per cent.”
The U.S. president added: “Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them… That’s what Europe should focus on – not Greenland.”
Nigel Farage clashes with U.S. Speaker over Trump’s Greenland bid
Nigel Farage has warned that tensions between the U.S. and its European allies over Greenland represent the “biggest fracture” in the transatlantic relationship since the Suez crisis of 1956 as he clashed with U.S. house speaker Mike Johnson.
He told GB News that, “friends can disagree in private, and that’s fine. That’s part of life, part of politics”.
“But to have a U.S. president threatening tariffs unless we agree that he can take over Greenland, by some means, without it seems even getting the consent of the people of Greenland… I mean, this is a very hostile act. There’s no other way I can put it.”
Speaker Johnson responded: “Yes, the president has a certain manner in which he goes about doing things. Sometimes it’s for effect, the shock and awe that is a means to an end.
“This ‘take him seriously, not literally’ phrase, we’ve heard that. We take him seriously, not always literally. I think he’s okay with that.”Whereas in America, the far-left media take him always literally and not seriously, and I think that’s their mistake.
“I think what the President has in mind with Greenland is that he understands the strategic significance of it, the increasing significance, as you said.
“Farage added: “This does threaten Nato. Basically, Nato has been quite a good anchor.”
U.K. having a frank conversation with Trump over Greenland row, says trade minister
Britain’s relationship with Donald Trump’s U.S. administration is being tested by the Greenland crisis, trade secretary Peter Kyle said.
He said that disruption is becoming normalised in the world economy, and that the government was having “frank” talks with U.S. officials over the threat of tariffs being imposed on European countries opposed to Trump’s goal of annexing the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Kyle said tariffs are a “lose-lose” policy and “the stakes are always very high” but there could be “opportunities in adversity” for British exporters.
The government is in regular contact with U.S. commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer, Kyle said.
“We have good, strong relationships. One of the things I’ve enjoyed in getting to know the U.S. administration has been that they are all individual characters and very unique characters.
“I think very often when you meet a government representative, we all kind of project the collective personality of the government so that people see consistency.
“Part of the uniqueness of this administration is that they are an administration of real characters who are all quite unique and it’s been really interesting and rewarding getting to know them.
“But at moments like this, relationships are tested. And yes, of course, we’re having frank conversations. But in my experience, all of the key protagonists in the administration thrive on frank conversations and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Foreign Secretary spoke with Marco Rubio following Trump’s tariff threats
The UK’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed she had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, following questions from the country’s shadow foreign secretary, Dame Priti Patel.
Addressing the Commons, the foreign secretary said: “She asked what work can be done to establish constructive discussions and talks.
“This is an issue that I talked to the Danish foreign minister about today, because they have set out a process to have detailed talks with the US on how to strengthen security around Greenland, being very clear that the issue of sovereignty was non-negotiable, but there are many issues to be discussed around strengthening security.
“I have spoken to Secretary Rubio today, and we have agreed to take forward further discussions on this issue.”
She said the government will be “pursuing every avenue for discussions” with the US to prevent the tariffs President Donald Trump has threatened over his goal of acquiring Greenland and the escalation of a trade war, as well as to “replace the threats to sovereignty and tariffs with a constructive, shared approach to our security in the Arctic”.
Watch: Denmark ramps up military presence in Greenland
The UK government needs to ‘leverage the strength’ of its relationship with US to prevent tariffs: shadow foreign secretary
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel has said the UK government needs to “leverage the strength” of its relationship with the US to prevent the tariffs that President Donald Trump has threatened.
Dame Patel said, “It isn’t just a big geopolitical moment.
“It’s a moment of real concern for businesses in our country and exporters, and we’re counting on British diplomacy to reverse the tariff situation, to bring a swift end to this debacle over Greenland.
“The US is our closest ally. The way our security agencies operate together is unparalleled in modern history and our bilateral trading relationship dwarfs every other relationship.
“This is a moment where we need to summon and leverage the strength and depth of that special relationship.”
Trump wants to hold a ceremony to recognize his ‘peace board’ during the Davos economic gathering this week
US President Donald Trump is pushing to have his “Board of Peace” proposal ratified by world leaders in a special ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, according to reports.
In an invitation posted on social media by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the US President asked various countries’ heads of state or government to join him in signing the Board’s charter at 10:30am on Thursday.
Read on…
Watch: Carney ‘concerned’ on Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland
‘In a volatile world, Britain stands out’: Reeves to try to turn Trump tariffs into an opportunity for UK business
Rachel Reeves will use her appearance at the summit of the world’s most influential politicians and investors to turn Donald Trump’s global turmoil into an opportunity for the UK.
The chancellor and business secretary Peter Kyle will both be attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos with a message to investors that in a time of uncertainty, the UK “offers the stability” that businesses need.
“In a volatile world Britain stands out”, she will say. “This government is making sure Britain is home to the stability, talent and capital that businesses and investors want and that drive greater growth.
Read on…
Source: independent.co.uk
