Europe hits back at Trump tariff threat over Greenland

European leaders on Sunday slammed US President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, warning transatlantic ties were at risk.
Several European countries — including Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory - emphasised they “stand united” against Trump’s vow on Saturday to hit them with tariffs of up to 25 per cent unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden warned in a joint statement.
The European Union, which clinched a deal with Washington in July for most EU exports to face a 15-per cent US levy, has called an extraordinary meeting of its ambassadors in Brussels on Sunday.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron will ask the EU to activate a never-before-used “anti-coercion instrument” against the United States if Trump makes good on his tariff threat, Macron’s aides said.
The bloc’s weapon - dubbed its trade “bazooka” - allows for curbing imports of goods and services into the EU, a market of 27 countries with a combined population of 450 million.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to seize Greenland since returning to the White House for a second term. His rhetoric towards that goal has hardened since he ordered a military operation against Venezuela early this month to capture its leader, Nicolas Maduro.
Trump and his administration have argued that Greenland coming under US rule would serve American “national security”.
He and his aides have also argued that Denmark - although a Nato ally - would be unable to defend Greenland should Russia or China ever seek to invade.
Denmark and several of its European Nato allies responded by recently sending small numbers of military personnel to Greenland for an exercise, to which the United States was also invited.
Some German soldiers were seen boarding a flight on Sunday to leave Greenland after completing a recon mission. — AFP