President sets February 1 deadline for Europe to agree or face economic punishment.
The diplomatic fight over the Arctic took a serious turn on Wednesday as President Trump threatened Denmark and its European allies with severe measures if they do not agree to full American control over Greenland.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, President Trump stated that he wants to acquire Greenland for national security purposes. He argued that Denmark does not have the power to defend Greenland from rival superpowers like Russia and China; therefore, only the US is capable of protecting the island from invasion.
While he made it clear that no military force will be used to acquire the territory, he warned that the US “will definitely remember” any refusal. By this, he implied that heavy tariffs will be imposed on nations that stand in his way.
The President explained that just renting the land is not enough for the US. He mentioned plans to build a missile defense system called the “Golden Dome” on the island. He argued that he cannot build such an important defense base on land that belongs to another country. He said defending the island only makes sense if the US owns it completely.
He also gave a very strict deadline. Trump demanded that talks to hand over the island must start immediately and set February 1 as the final date. If European leaders do not agree by then, the threatened taxes on their goods will likely start.
Even with these strong threats, Denmark is not backing down. The Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said it was “positive” that Trump promised not to send troops. However, the Danish government has shown no sign that they are willing to give up control of their island. As the February 1 deadline gets closer, the friendship between these longtime allies is facing a very hard test.
