‘Dangerous downward spiral’: European leaders slam Trump’s tariff threat

European countries targeted by Trump’s latest tariffs say they are united on ‘upholding our sovereignty’.People wave Greenlandic flags as they take part in a demonstration, which gathered almost a third of the island capital's population, to protest against the US president's plans to take Greenland, on January 17, 2026, in Nuuk, Greenland [Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP]Published On 19 Jan 2026European leaders have condemned United States President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on countries that resist his bid to take over Greenland, warning the move risks a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic ties.In a joint statement on Sunday, the eight countries targeted by Trump for new tariffs said they “stand in full solidarity” with Denmark and the people of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Will the Syrian army end up controlling Kurdish-held areas?list 2 of 4Senegal beat hosts Morocco to win AFCON 2025 after farcical walk-offlist 3 of 4‘Night of deep pain’: Train collision in southern Spain leaves 21 deadlist 4 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,425end of list“Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind,” Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom said in the statement.“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”The rebuke came as European officials were preparing to hold emergency talks on coordinating a response to Trump’s escalating pressure campaign over the future of the vast island.European Council President Antonio Costa said on Sunday that the bloc was united in upholding national sovereignty and to “defend ourselves against any form of coercion” ahead of a planned extraordinary meeting of member states in the coming days.European officials are expected to discuss a range of options for responding to Trump’s economic threats, including retaliatory tariffs and market restrictions for US firms.Trump announced on Saturday that the eight countries will face a 10 percent tariff from February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1, until a deal is reached for the US to buy Greenland.The Financial Times reported that the bloc was considering imposing 93 billion euros worth of tariffs on US goods as well as activating the Anti-Coercion Instrument, commonly known as the “trade bazooka”, adopted by the bloc in 2023.The mechanism, which has never been used, allows for sweeping restrictions on investments and the withdrawal of intellectual property protections for foreign firms in the bloc.“The Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), designed precisely for such cases, must now be used,” German MEP Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, said in a post on X.“I call on the European Commission to activate it immediately.”Trump’s insistence on controlling Greenland has plunged US-European relations to their lowest point in decades, prompting fears for the survival of NATO.Trump, who has not ruled out the use of military force to seize the territory, has brushed aside concerns about splitting the 32-member transatlantic alliance, which is built on the principle that an armed attack against any one member is considered an attack against all.Denmark has ruled out selling Greenland, and opinion polls suggest the vast majority of the island’s 57,000 residents do not wish to be part of the US.On Saturday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Danish cities to rally against Trump’s threats, chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and holding banners with slogans such as “Hands off Greenland”.Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday expressed appreciation for the “strong support” being offered to her country.“We want to cooperate, and it is not us who are seeking conflict. And I am pleased by the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed,” Frederiksen said in a statement on social media.French President Emmanuel Macron said that “no intimidation or threat” would influence his government’s position on Greenland.“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context,” Macron said on social media.“Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed. We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld.”UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump’s planned tariffs “completely wrong”.“We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration,” he said on social media.