Trump pauses Greenland-linked tariffs on 8 European countries

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would not impose tariffs on eight European countries set to take effect Feb. 1 unless those countries allow the United States to take control of Greenland.

On Saturday, Trump announced that he would impose a 10 percent tariff starting next month on Denmark, the United Kingdom and other countries involved in NATO exercises.

“Based on a very productive meeting I had with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, we formed the framework for a future agreement regarding Greenland and, indeed, the entire Arctic region,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Based on this agreement, I will not impose the tariffs which were to come into force on February 1,” he added.

Trump had said that if these countries did not comply with his demands by June, tariffs would increase to 25%.

Trump’s comments over the weekend shook global markets.

Stocks hit highs of the day following news of tariff removal.

Hours before Trump’s announcement, the European Union parliament suspended final approval of a crucial trade deal that Trump reached with the bloc last summer.

EU leaders were also due to hold an emergency summit on Thursday to coordinate a response to Trump’s threats.

On Wednesday morning, Trump told an audience of leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he still wanted the United States to control Greenland, but would not use force to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Instead, he said, he wanted “immediate negotiations” with Denmark.

“We will not enter into any negotiations on the basis of abandoning fundamental principles,” the Danish foreign minister told reporters in Copenhagen.

In his Truth Social article, Trump said “additional discussions” related to Greenland would be led by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s special peace envoy Steve Witkoff.

These officials are also simultaneously leading discussions with Ukraine and Russia, while handling a host of other pressing foreign policy issues.

Rubio currently serves as Acting National Security Advisor and Acting National Archivist, in addition to leading the State Department.