Germany withdrew its troops deployed in Greenland following the tariffs announced by Trump.

The German contingent left the Arctic territory without prior notice after less than 48 hours of deployment.

The German military contingent deployed in Greenland left the Arctic territory this Sunday, just one day after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on European countries with a presence on the island. Berlin's decision marks the first military retreat following the escalation of tensions caused by Washington's interest in annexing the territory.

You may be interested in: France will request the activation of the EU's trade "bazooka" in response to the tariffs announced by Trump for Greenland.

A spokesperson for the German Army confirmed to the DPA news agency and the newspaper Der Spiegel the withdrawal of the 15 personnel who were on a "reconnaissance mission." According to sources cited by the newspaper Bild, the departure occurred without prior notice and after having remained on the island for less than 48 hours. The soldiers are already en route to Copenhagen, the Danish capital.

The measure is a direct response to warnings from Trump, who described the European presence in Greenland as a threat to his acquisition attempts. The US president announced a trade retaliation plan on Saturday, including tariffs of 10% starting February 1 and 25% starting June 1. These economic sanctions, targeting allies with deployments on the island, would remain in effect until the United States achieves full control of the territory through what it has defined as an “acquisition.”

Despite the German withdrawal, the governments have adopted a confrontational stance in their rhetoric. In a joint statement issued on Sunday, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom emphasized that their military presence aims to support Denmark and strengthen security in the Arctic, an interest they described as “transatlantic and shared.”

“The coordinated Danish ‘Arctic Resistance’ exercises, conducted with allies, respond to this need. They pose no threat to anyone,” the eight nations stated, reaffirming their solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the Greenlandic people under the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

For his part, the Dutch Foreign Minister, David van Weel, described Trump’s actions as “incomprehensible blackmail.” In a television interview, Van Weel asserted that his country has no plans to withdraw the two military personnel sent to prepare for NATO exercises and that, on the contrary, it will send more troops when the exercises officially begin.

Bessent: “Europe will accept the annexation”

From Washington, the Trump administration has made it clear that it will not back down. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in an interview with NBC that Europe will eventually “jump through the hoops” and accept the annexation of Greenland.

“The Europeans project weakness; the United States projects strength,” declared Bessent. The official argued that U.S. control over the island is vital for global security and for the deployment of its new defense system, called the “Golden Dome.” According to the secretary, President Trump is seeking to preempt a “possible battle in the Arctic” that could occur next year.

In the trade arena, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned the European Union against any attempt at retaliation, following proposals by the European People’s Party to suspend existing trade agreements with Washington. “If they want to turn this into a trade issue, that’s their problem,” Greer stated.

The diplomatic crisis has now shifted to Switzerland, where the Davos Forum is being held. Dutch Minister Van Weel indicated that the priority at the international meeting will be “to take this ridiculous proposal off the table.”