British politicians have issued strong condemnations after former US President Donald Trump threatened to impose significant tariffs on the United Kingdom and several European NATO allies. The extraordinary threat is linked to Trump's ongoing ambition to purchase the Arctic island of Greenland.
Escalating Tariffs Over Arctic Ambitions
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that 10% tariffs would be applied from 1 February to NATO members including the UK, France, and Germany. He justified this by referencing their deployment of troops to Greenland, citing a "very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet."
The situation is set to escalate sharply if Trump's demands are not met. He stated that these tariffs would rise to 25% on 1 June if an agreement for the United States to buy Greenland from Denmark had not been finalised by that date.
Cross-Party Fury in Westminster
While Downing Street has so far refrained from public comment, opposition and Conservative figures were quick to criticise the move. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch stated that President Trump was "completely wrong" and that the tariffs would place another burden on UK businesses. She emphasised that "The sovereignty of Greenland should only be decided by the people of Greenland."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer's US policy of lying "in tatters" and called for him to "stand firm against the bully in the White House." He urged cooperation with European and Commonwealth allies to force a backdown from what he termed a "reckless plan."
Nigel Farage of Reform acknowledged the move would "hurt" the UK, while Labour MP Stella Creasy suggested the threat meant it was "make your mind up time" for the UK's strategic future, arguing for a closer relationship with Europe.
Diplomatic Calls for Calm and Unity
Senior diplomatic voices advocated for a measured response. Lord Peter Ricketts, a former national security adviser, advised European countries to "react very calmly" and continue demonstrating that America's security interests are best served by working with Denmark and NATO.
He pointed out that during the Cold War, the US had 10,000 troops in Greenland, suggesting there were established channels for increasing military presence without unilateral threats. Lord Ricketts also highlighted a potential flaw in Trump's plan, noting that the European Union has a single tariff, making it difficult to target individual member states like France or Germany.
He recommended that, rather than public confrontation, European leaders should engage with Trump privately to find a cooperative solution on Arctic security, a legitimate priority for all NATO members.
The threat has sparked protests in Denmark, with rallies in Copenhagen featuring slogans like 'hands off Greenland' and 'Greenland for Greenlanders', underscoring the local opposition to any potential sale.
