London (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 17, 2026 – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on European nations including Britain over Greenland as “completely wrong”. Starmer made the remarks during BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview following Trump’s Truth Social announcement 10% tariffs on Denmark Norway Sweden France Germany UK Netherlands Finland exports starting February 1 escalating to 25% June 1 absent Greenland purchase agreement.
Downing Street confirmed UK opposition tariff measures allied relationship damage economic costs British businesses consumers multilateral cooperation prioritisation.
Starmer emphasised tariffs contradict free trade principles damage transatlantic alliance NATO partnership Denmark longstanding bilateral relations Arctic interests alignment post-Brexit UK trade strategy implementation. President Trump cited recent European visits Greenland opposition US acquisition strategic Arctic positioning critical minerals access national security imperatives justification tariff escalation mechanism execution.
Starmer bbc radio 4 today programme tariff criticism
Credit: Benjamin Cremel / Pool / Getty Images
Prime Minister Keir Starmer BBC Radio 4 Today programme stated President Trump Greenland tariff proposal “completely wrong” approach free trade principles violation allied relationships damage economic partnership undermining multilateral cooperation prioritisation. Starmer highlighted UK Denmark longstanding partnership NATO collective defence Arctic cooperation coordination Greenland self-determination support international law compliance sovereign territory recognition post-Brexit global Britain positioning execution.
Downing Street spokesperson confirmed Starmer position tariffs counterproductive measures allied tensions creation economic damage mutual interests undermining transatlantic relationship stability NATO partnership Denmark Arctic cooperation coordination Greenland Inuit population rights protection multilateral frameworks prioritisation documentation.
Trump truth social tariff announcement european targets
Credit: Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Donald Trump Truth Social January 17 announced 10% tariffs Denmark Norway Sweden France Germany UK Netherlands Finland exports February 1 escalating 25% June 1 Greenland purchase agreement absence strategic Arctic military positioning natural resources access national security supply chain localisation imperatives execution. Trump cited recent European officials Greenland visits US acquisition opposition justification economic coercion mechanism allied nations pressure application documentation.
White House Deputy Chief Stephen Miller Fox News defended tariff strategy Denmark Greenland defence capacity limitations historical territorial control military strength determination assertion NATO ally status acknowledgment absent collective defence principles invocation execution national security prioritisation confirmation.
Kemi Badenoch offered cross-party criticism. Kemi Badenoch said in an X post,
“A terrible idea. President Trump is completely wrong to announce tariffs on the UK over Greenland. People in both UK and US will face higher costs. These tariffs will be yet another burden for businesses across our country. The sovereignty of Greenland should only be decided by the people of Greenland. On this, I agree with Keir Starmer.”
A terrible idea. President Trump is completely wrong to announce tariffs on the UK over Greenland. People in both UK and US will face higher costs.
These tariffs will be yet another burden for businesses across our country. The sovereignty of Greenland should only be decided by… https://t.co/r4IHO2A1oK
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) January 17, 2026
Denmark prime minister mette frederiksen sovereignty rejection
Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected Trump Greenland sovereignty transfer demands Danish Realm constitutionality Inuit population self-determination rights sovereign territory status international law compliance NATO ally solidarity invocation collective defence principles reinforcement.
Frederiksen confirmed Greenland Home Rule government autonomous legislative executive powers natural resources management fiscal sovereignty foreign acquisition rejection strategic autonomy maintenance economic partnership continuity documentation.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned US Ambassador Greenland sovereignty discussions tariff threat withdrawal requests allied relationship damage avoidance NATO partnership stability transatlantic cooperation coordination execution multilateral frameworks prioritisation national security interests alignment confirmation.
Affected European nations tariff implementation details
Trump tariffs target Denmark Norway Sweden France Germany UK Netherlands Finland £150 billion combined US exports 2025 figures 10% February 1 25% June 1 implementation World Trade Organisation notification procedures economic emergency powers Supreme Court challenge subject US law compliance verification documentation.
UK exports £60 billion annual US market automobiles machinery pharmaceuticals consumer goods tariff exposure British businesses cost pass-through consumer price inflation supply chain disruption potential documentation.
Department Business Trade confirmed tariff impact assessment British exporters notification mitigation strategies supply chain diversification WTO dispute settlement preparation economic diplomacy coordination Denmark NATO allies multilateral response coordination execution.
Greenland home rule government autonomous status framework
Greenland Home Rule 2009 Self-Government Act Danish Realm constituent autonomous legislative executive powers natural resources management fiscal sovereignty Inuit population 88% demographic majority United Nations Declaration Indigenous Peoples rights protection international law compliance execution.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte B Egede confirmed sovereign territory status Danish partnership equality resource development local benefit prioritisation foreign acquisition rejection strategic autonomy maintenance Copenhagen demonstrations thousands US threats opposition documentation.
Arctic Council multilateral cooperation platform eight Arctic states indigenous peoples organisations observer states climate change environmental protection sustainable development frameworks execution UK observer status scientific research contributions coordination Greenland Denmark cooperation alignment strategic positioning territorial integrity respect principles reinforcement.
UK denmark bilateral trade relations nato partnership
UK Denmark trade continuity agreement 2021 £13 billion annual bilateral trade tariff protection British exports economic damage avoidance allied relationship stability maintenance transatlantic partnership reinforcement multilateral frameworks execution documentation. NATO founding members collective defence Article 5 threshold maintenance Denmark 2% GDP defence spending target achievement allied burden sharing reinforcement strategic deterrence great power competition management execution.
Ministry Defence confirmed Royal Navy submarines Royal Air Force Typhoon deployments NATO air policing missions Denmark Greenland cooperation coordination Thule Air Base US operations continuity strategic positioning national security imperatives prioritisation documentation.
Copenhagen demonstrations greenland sovereignty support
Thousands gathered Copenhagen January 17 Danish Greenlandic flags US acquisition threats opposition “small countries sale” protester Elise Riechie Associated Press statement territorial integrity international law compliance reinforcement documentation.
Danish government public support mobilisation Greenland self-determination Inuit population rights protection sovereign territory status NATO ally solidarity invocation collective defence principles execution multilateral cooperation prioritisation national security interests alignment confirmation.
Greenland critical minerals rare earth elements green energy transition supply chain localisation strategic autonomy enhancement local benefit prioritisation economic development employment opportunities fiscal sovereignty maintenance foreign interference rejection execution.
Kelvin MacKenzie questioned the Starmer approach. Kelvin MacKenzie said in X post,
“Huge and dangerous misjudgement by Starmer to taunt Trump by sending troops to Greenland as though we were ever going to fight the US. What world does this Labour idiot live in? The Cabinet had never heard of Greenland but now thanks to Starmer’s stupidity our skint nation faces Trump tariffs of 10-25%.
The UK and EU Europe should stop the posturing and say the problem will go away if Trump offers US citizenship to all 59,000 inhabitants, a dowry of $500,000 each and for the US to start arming Ukraine again. Put that to the people of Greenland and they’d bite your hand off. Let’s be honest the Danes never gave a toss about the place.”
Huge and dangerous misjudgement by Starmer to taunt Trump by sending troops to Greenland as though we were ever going to fight the US.
What world does this Labour idiot live in?
The Cabinet had never heard of Greenland but now thanks to Starmer’s stupidity our skint nation…— Kelvin MacKenzie (@kelvmackenzie) January 17, 2026
Foreign ministers washington meeting working group agreement
Denmark Greenland foreign ministers met Washington Vice President JD Vance Secretary State Marco Rubio Greenland sovereignty discussions tariff threat de-escalation requests working group establishment purpose divergence Danish White House public statements documentation. Denmark confirmed technical cooperation clarification US acquisition rejection reaffirmation Greenland self-determination Inuit rights protection international law compliance sovereign territory status NATO partnership stability execution.
US officials emphasised strategic Arctic positioning national security supply chain localisation China Russia counterbalance imperatives Greenland critical minerals access Thule Air Base modernisation missile defence early warning systems documentation allied cooperation coordination execution.
Post-brexit uk trade strategy tariff mitigation measures
Department Business Trade post-Brexit independent trade policy World Trade Organisation rules compliance bilateral agreements negotiation continuity economic partnership prioritisation supply chain resilience enhancement coordination execution. Tariff escalation avoidance allied tensions de-escalation economic diplomacy Denmark longstanding partnership Arctic interests alignment NATO collective defence commitment Greenland self-determination support international law compliance sovereign territory recognition documentation.
UK exporters notification mitigation strategies diversification WTO dispute settlement preparation economic impact assessment consumer price inflation supply chain disruption quantification business support measures implementation coordination.
Arctic council observer states cooperation framework
Arctic Council UK observer status scientific research climate security indigenous partnership coordination multilateral cooperation climate change environmental protection sustainable development frameworks execution. Greenland Denmark cooperation alignment strategic positioning great power competition management territorial integrity respect principles reinforcement NATO allied solidarity invocation collective defence Article 5 threshold maintenance documentation.
Royal Navy operational presence submarines icebreakers Royal Air Force surveillance missions NATO air policing Denmark Greenland cooperation coordination strategic deterrence Russia China Arctic military expansion counterbalance execution national security prioritisation confirmation.
