Trump floats new tariffs in push to acquire Greenland
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a “Great, Historic Investment in Rural Health Roundtable” in the East Room of the White House on Jan. 16, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Friday he may impose tariffs on countries “if they don’t go along with Greenland.”
“We need Greenland for national security. So I may do that,” Trump said at the White House.
The comments show Trump considering applying tariffs, one of his favorite tools for leveraging his executive power over foreign countries, to his increasingly aggressive efforts to acquire Greenland for the United States.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for additional information on Trump’s remarks.
The Trump administration has previously said it is weighing multiple options, including utilizing the U.S. military, in order to take over the Danish territory.
Trump asserts it is essential that America own Greenland — even though the U.S. already maintains a military base there — because of national security concerns posed by China and Russia.
The White House has also said the U.S. is considering making an offer to buy the Arctic island. But Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly insisted that the territory is not for sale and has no wish to be absorbed into America.
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