EU Considers $108 Billion Tariffs On US Over Trump Threats Over Greenland; Minister Speaks Of Blackmail

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

AMSTERDAM/NUUK (Worthy News) – The European Union was considering Sunday to hit the United States with 93 billion euros ($108 billion) worth of tariffs or restrict American companies from the bloc’s market in response to U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s threats to allies opposed to his efforts to take over Greenland.

The retaliation measures were intended to give European leaders leverage in pivotal meetings with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, according to officials.

Ambassadors from the European Union’s 27 countries convened on Sunday for an emergency meeting to discuss their response to Trump’s tariff threat.

The news emerged hours after the foreign minister of the Netherlands, long regarded as a close ally of the United States, accused Trump on Sunday of conducting “blackmail” to allies over Greenland.

Foreign Minister David van Weel reacted on Dutch television to Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on European allies until they agree to sell Greenland to the United States.

“It’s blackmail what he’s doing … and it’s not necessary. It doesn’t help the alliance [NATO], and it also doesn’t help Greenland,” Van Weel said in an interview on Dutch television.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said additional 10 percent import tariffs would take effect on 1 February on goods from “Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Great Britain” countries that have agreed to contribute personnel to a NATO military alliance exercise on Greenland.

Van Weel said the Greenland mission was intended to show the U.S. and Europe’s willingness to help defend Greenland, and he was opposed to Trump making a connection with diplomacy over the island and trade.

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