Trump threatens new tariffs on nations against Greenland takeover as US lawmakers go to Denmark to ease tensions

[ad_1] Daniel Bush, Washington correspondent and

Paulin Kola

Watch: Why is there a lot worldwide curiosity in Greenland?

US President Donald Trump has threatened to put tariffs on nations that don't go together with his ambitions to annex Greenland.

Trump mentioned at a White Home assembly that he "could put a tariff on nations if they do not go together with Greenland", which is a self-governing territory managed by Denmark.

He didn't say which nations could be hit with new tariffs, or what authority he would invoke to make use of such import taxes in pursuit of his aim.

Together with Denmark and Greenland, different nations oppose his plans, and plenty of within the US have expressed scepticism about an acquisition. As Trump spoke, a bipartisan congressional delegation was visiting Greenland to point out help for the territory.

The 11-member group included Republicans who voiced considerations in regards to the president's requires the US to one way or the other purchase Greenland for nationwide safety causes. They met MPs in addition to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

Group chief Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, mentioned their journey was to hearken to the locals and take their views again to Washington "to decrease the temperature".

Trump has mentioned Greenland is important for US safety - and Washington would get it "the straightforward manner" or "the laborious manner" - an obvious reference to purchasing the island or taking it by pressure.

"I could put a tariff on nations if they do not go together with Greenland, as a result of we want Greenland for nationwide safety," Trump mentioned at Friday's White Home assembly on rural healthcare.

Greenland is sparsely populated however resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it nicely positioned for early warning programs within the occasion of missile assaults and for monitoring vessels within the area.

The US already has greater than 100 army personnel completely stationed at its Pituffik base - a missile-monitoring station on Greenland's north-western tip that has been operated by the US since World Warfare Two.

Beneath present agreements with Denmark, the US has the ability to deliver as many troops because it needs to Greenland.

However Trump has mentioned the US must "personal" it to defend it correctly towards attainable Russian or Chinese language assaults.

Denmark has warned that army motion would spell the tip of Nato - the trans-Atlantic defence alliance the place the US is essentially the most influential companion.

Nato works on the precept that allies have to help one another in case of assault from exterior - it has by no means confronted an choice the place one member would use pressure towards one other.

European allies have rallied to Denmark's help.

They've additionally mentioned the Arctic area is equally necessary to them and that its safety must be a joint Nato accountability - with the US concerned.

To this finish, a number of nations together with France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK have dispatched a small variety of troops to Greenland in a so-called reconnaissance mission.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned "land, air, and sea belongings" would quickly be despatched.

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The go to of the US congressional delegation comes days after high-level talks in Washington did not dissuade Trump from his plans.

They embody senators and members of the US Home of Representatives who're fervent supporters of Nato.

Although Coons and the vast majority of the group are Democratic staunch opponents of Trump, it consists of reasonable Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski.

Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz mentioned the assembly with US legislators had made her "hopeful". She advised the BBC: "We'd like pals. We'd like allies."

Requested in regards to the vast gulf between the view of the White Home and the place of Greenland and Denmark, she mentioned: "It is a marathon, not a brief dash.

"The stress from the US facet is one thing that we have seen since 2019. It could be naive to suppose that all the things is over now."

She added: "It is altering virtually hour by hour. In order a lot help as we are able to get, the higher."

Murkowski is without doubt one of the sponsors of a bipartisan invoice aimed toward blocking any try and annex Greenland.

A Republican congressman has additionally launched a rival invoice in help of annexing the island.

Trump's envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, advised Fox Information on Friday the US ought to speak with Greenland's leaders, not Denmark.

"I do imagine that there is a deal that ought to and might be made as soon as this performs out," he mentioned.

"The president is critical. I believe he is laid the markers down.

"He is advised Denmark what he is searching for, and now it is a matter of getting Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance make a deal.

"The US has at all times been a welcoming get together. We do not go in there making an attempt to overcome anyone and making an attempt to take over anyone's nation.

"We are saying, 'Pay attention. We characterize liberty. We represented financial energy. We characterize safety.'"

The overseas ministers of Denmark and Greenland met Vance and Rubio on the White Home on Wednesday.

In response to a Danish official who spoke to the BBC on background to debate the assembly, the US vice-president proposed discovering a "center floor" that might fulfill Trump and Denmark and Greenland.

The official mentioned the opportunity of a US army takeover of Greenland had not been raised within the White Home assembly.

"We now have by no means been in any discussions with any senior official or minister in regards to the prospects of the USA sending in" troops to Greenland, the official mentioned.