Trump Announces Tariffs on European Countries For Opposing Greenland Takeover

US President Donald Trump has announced a 10% tariff on eight European countries in retaliation for their support of Denmark against the United States in the political battle for control of Greenland.

Trump has long expressed his desire to take over Greenland, but action by the administration has seriously ramped up within the last few weeks. Due to environmental concerns, Denmark has never taken advantage of Greenland's treasure trove of materials, which includes rare earth elements, zinc, gold, iron ore, copper, uranium, and titanium, along with billions of barrels of oil and at least 148 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Extremely cold conditions also make investing in local infrastructure very expensive and tough to execute.

Greenland agrees with this approach, and citizens have asserted that they have no intention to allow the US to take over their territory, which is essentially a self-governing, autonomous region of Denmark. In fact, several demonstrations have taken place across Greenland's capital city of Nuuk, with local residents stating that they "have no interest in being Americans" and holding up signs with slogans like "Greenland is for Greenlanders."

Additionally, enshrined in Greenland's constitution is the right to independence, as long as a referendum is conducted among existing citizens. Nevertheless, Greenland still relies on Denmark for economic support and infrastructure, preventing them from becoming independent, but various political parties have expressed their desire to achieve independence from Denmark at some point in the future. Either way, those parties have clearly stated that they would much rather be a part of Denmark than the US, echoing the wider sentiment of Greenlanders.

Earlier this month, the US confirmed that they were contemplating the purchase of Greenland, but Denmark rejected the idea and responded that Greenland was not for sale. Trump also mentioned that military action was not out of the question, sparking concerns over the future of NATO and whether the political battle over Greenland could lead to a major conflict.

Now, Trump has announced the arrival of another wave of tariffs, retaliating against European countries who supported Denmark and Greenland, opposing the US. This list of countries consists of Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, who will receive an additional 10% tariff on top of the existing 15% tariff on all member countries of the European Union and a 10% on the UK. Trump also confirmed that the levy would increase to 25% by June 1 if the aforementioned European nations refused to back a US purchase of Greenland and shift away from their position of solidarity with Denmark.

The tariffs also endanger a US-EU trade deal struck in July, which lowered tariffs on the EU to 15% and prevented a trade war between the two.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Because snow is composed of ice, it can be classified as a mineral, along with ice itself. Water, however, does not fall under the same classification due to its state as a liquid and is not a mineral.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. (Alan Watts)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Notorious (adj, noh-TOR-ee-us) - Notorious describes people and things that are well-known or famous, especially for something bad or unfavorable.

In a Sentence: Their city is notorious for its extremely hot and humid summers.

Image credit to the New York Times