The US Treasury Secretary urged European countries to avoid a trade escalation and maintained that Washington will not yield to external pressure in the Arctic.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday called the retaliatory tariffs the European Union is considering in response to President Donald Trump's warnings to impose levies on European countries that oppose the annexation of Greenland "very unwise."
The statement came during the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Bessent stressed that US hemispheric security cannot depend on third parties.
"I think it would be very unwise," Bessent told reporters when asked about the measures Brussels might take to counter the US tariffs.
"We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to anyone," he added, defending Trump's decision to consider Greenland a "strategic asset" for Washington.
The tariffs announced by the White House will affect products from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, starting February 1st, with an initial 10% tariff that will increase to 25% on June 1st, 2026. According to Trump, these tariffs will remain in place “until an agreement is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
The announcement provoked an immediate reaction from European allies, who denounced what they consider a form of “economic blackmail.”
German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil indicated that the European Union is preparing coordinated responses to the escalation. The seven NATO countries that have deployed troops to Greenland also expressed their “full solidarity” with Denmark and emphasized that their operations pose no threat to third parties.
The controversy intensified after Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, in which he linked the pressure on Greenland to the country's failure to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. When asked about this letter, Bessent responded: “I know nothing about the president's letter to Norway. I think it's complete nonsense that the president would do this for the Nobel Prize.”
The US administration maintains that the measure responds to national security considerations, given the increased presence of Russia and China in the Arctic.
Bessent explained that the action falls within the president's power to declare a national emergency, a mechanism that allows him to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
“The national emergency declaration is about preventing a national emergency; it's a strategic decision by the president. It's a geopolitical decision, and he can use the economic power of the United States to avoid an open war,” he stated.
The Secretary added that, despite European opposition, he is confident that the continent's leaders “will understand that this is in the best interest of Greenland, in the best interest of Europe, and in the best interest of the United States.” Bessent also maintained that the pressure aims to ensure Washington maintains control over a territory crucial for hemispheric defense and strategic competition in the Arctic region.
The situation has generated diplomatic uncertainty, with extraordinary meetings of European ambassadors and debates within the European Union regarding a possible response. Meanwhile, Trump maintained his firm stance, indicating that the tariffs will be applied “at 100%” if a favorable agreement is not reached, and emphasized that his administration's priority is protecting strategic U.S. interests in Greenland.With this escalation, the Greenland dispute has become a critical episode in international politics, where security, geopolitical, and trade interests converge, keeping both US allies and adversaries on edge.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
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