Washington, 18 January (H.S.): United States President Donald Trump declared on saturday that global security hangs in the balance amid stalled talks to secure American control of Greenland, extending an olive branch for negotiations with Denmark while unveiling punitive tariffs on key European allies.
Strategic Imperative Ignites Diplomatic Firestorm
Trump reiterated his enduring advocacy for U.S. dominion over the vast Arctic territory, asserting that Greenland's mounting vulnerability to incursions by China and Russia necessitates decisive intervention.
China and Russia want Greenland, he stated categorically, emphasizing Denmark's purported incapacity to safeguard it and positioning the United States as the sole guarantor of its defense.
He tied the island's fate to broader planetary survival, alleging that adversarial powers have undertaken enigmatic journeys there, rendering the status quo very dangerous for the safety, security, and survival of our planet.
Tariff Hammer Falls on European Holdouts
Escalating economic coercion, Trump disclosed plans for a 10 percent tariff on imports from eight nations—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland—effective February 1.
In a Truth Social missive, he lambasted these countries for decades of freeloading on American security largesse, demanding reciprocity through Greenland's complete and total purchase, a pursuit he traced back over 150 years.
Tariffs, he vowed, would persist until a pact materializes, intertwining the dispute with his ambitious Golden Dome missile defense architecture, which demands Greenland's integration for peak efficacy.
Protests Erupt as Bipartisan Outreach Falters
Greenlandic defiance surged hours later, with hundreds braving subzero chill in Nuuk to brandish placards proclaiming Greenland is not for sale and We shape our future, mirroring unrest in Denmark proper. This backlash shadowed a U.S. congressional delegation's Copenhagen sojourn, helmed by Senator Chris Coons, intended to assuage anxieties stoked by Washington's belligerence.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
