Politics News
Trump drops Greenland tariffs on eight European allies after a 'framework' with NATO
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, January 21, that he would not impose the tariffs he had threatened on eight European countries over Greenland, citing a “framework” for a future deal reached with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The threat, announced on January 17, was for an extra 10% on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain from February 1, rising to 25% on June 1.
Khaleej Times, carrying Reuters, had reported the backlash to the original threat. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “completely wrong”, and Cyprus, holding the EU presidency, called an emergency meeting of EU ambassadors.
“It is the ultimate long-term deal.” — Donald Trump, via Axios
Axios reported that Trump also said he would not take Greenland by force, and that markets rallied, with the S&P 500 up nearly 1.5%. Asked whether the deal involved ownership, Trump said it was “a little bit complex.” Euronews said the tariff threat had prompted EU meetings on retaliation, with Emmanuel Macron calling for the bloc's anti-coercion instrument. South Korea's Korea JoongAng Daily, carrying Yonhap, said talks on the Golden Dome missile defence project were ongoing and that JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations.
How each outlet framed it
- Axios — a climbdown with market relief, and doubts about how much substance the framework has.
- Euronews — Europe's side: emergency meetings, retaliation plans and Ursula von der Leyen's promise of an “unflinching, united and proportional” response.
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Trump's own words: the Arctic-wide framework and his warning that otherwise “Russia or China will.”
- Khaleej Times — the original threat and allies' anger.
What we don't know yet: What the framework contains. Axios reported that Denmark welcomed the end of the threat of force but said it will not negotiate over sovereignty.