Trump has threatened Europe with higher tariffs. What happens now?
These are Europe’s options after Trump’s tariff threat
- Donald Trump has threatened eight European countries with a 10 per cent tariff on goods, increasing to 25 per cent on June 1, if he is unable to purchase Greenland from Denmark.
- Trump has justified his bid to acquire Greenland by claiming it is necessary for national security.
- Experts say that any offensive action against Greenland, a sovereign Danish territory, would constitute an illegal act of aggression under international law.
- Europe faces a dilemma, with options ranging from deploying more troops to Greenland and threatening to close US military bases to the ”nuclear option” of selling US bonds.
- Experts say European powers may offer concessions, such as bolstering Arctic security through NATO and granting mineral extraction rights, to appease Trump and allow him a perceived victory.