Trump Reconsiders Tariffs on Europe After Productive NATO Talks

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:01:21 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a surprising turn, President Trump has announced the withdrawal of his proposed tariffs against European nations that resisted his Greenland acquisition ambitions, citing positive discussions with NATO leaders.

President Donald Trump has reversed his plans to impose tariffs on European countries responding to his bid to purchase Greenland. Following a fruitful meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump took to social media, announcing that the proposed tariffs are off the table, attributing this decision to fostering better relations within NATO. The discussions around Greenland continue as Trump insists on negotiations for a possible deal involving rare earth minerals and other strategic resources.

President Donald Trump has said he no longer plans to impose tariffs on European countries that had opposed his ambitions for the US to acquire Greenland.

In a social media post, Trump said his decision followed a very productive meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO nations, he wrote.

Trump told CNBC that the deal, which he said would last forever, could involve mineral rights and the planned Golden Dome missile defense system.

Announcing his decision on Truth Social, Trump mentioned that more information would be available as discussions progress and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would report directly to him as negotiations move forward.

Trump had previously indicated a willingness to place a 10% tariff on goods from the UK and other NATO member countries until a deal was reached regarding Greenland, a notion he has now abandoned.

During his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought immediate negotiations for Greenland but reaffirmed his stance against using force: We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. We'd be unstoppable, but we won't do that. He insisted that any agreement for Greenland must include full ownership rather than a lease.

French President Emmanuel Macron labeled Trump's tariff threats as fundamentally unacceptable while urging a collective European response. The geopolitical implications of Trump's negotiations with Denmark over Greenland and its strategic mineral resources continue to unfold.

Under current agreements with Denmark, the US is allowed to maintain a military presence in Greenland, but Trump has expressed his desire for complete ownership.