President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy targeting Greenland supporters has drawn fierce criticism from Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel, who deemed it ‘blackmail,’ ‘baffling,’ and ‘unfair.’ The policy aims to penalize eight European states for bolstering the Arctic outpost.
During a Sunday broadcast on ‘WNAL op Zondag,’ van Weel called for unified pushback against the ‘ludicrous plan.’ He asserted, ‘Blackmail has no place in ally relations.’
Undeterred by threats, the Netherlands plans to maintain its Greenland contingent of two for NATO readiness and ramp up with more soldiers for the main event—scale pending.
Davos beckons, with Trump anticipated at the World Economic Forum. Van Weel flagged it as prime opportunity: ‘We must do our homework to bury this absurdity first.’
The EU amplified warnings, with President Ursula von der Leyen highlighting the 10% tariffs as potential catalysts for ‘dangerous deterioration’ in bilateral bonds.
Trump’s Truth Social post outlined the measures: blanket tariffs from February 1 on goods from involved nations, doubling to 25% come June without a Greenland purchase.
Earlier, Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans revealed the Dutch duo’s dispatch within Denmark’s mission, signaling NATO drill prep.
As Arctic assets gain prominence amid climate shifts and resource hunts, this tariff gambit tests alliance resilience. Davos may prove pivotal in de-escalating the rift.