Ilayda Cakirtekin
18 January 2026•Update: 18 January 2026
ISTANBUL
Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris and Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said on Sunday that US President Donald Trump's tariff threats against eight European nations for opposing Greenland's acquisition are "completely unacceptable."
"Ireland always favours agreement and dialogue. This threat of penalising European economies and businesses and linking that with Greenland is completely unacceptable and I know Europe will stand united and coordinated in considering how to respond," Harris wrote on US social media platform X.
He said he will travel to Brussels on Monday and meet finance ministers from across the EU.
McEntee also said on X that Trump's decision is "completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable."
She said there can be no lasting peace and security if the fundamental principles of the UN Charter are ignored and undermined by member states.
"Ireland has been crystal clear that the future of Greenland is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people, in line with well-established democratic principles and international law. This is a position that will not change. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States is non-negotiable," McEntee said.
She stressed Denmark and Greenland have the "sovereign right" to arrange military exercises with their partners, "on their own territory."
"We are coordinating closely with our EU and wider European partners in response to this announcement. The only way forward to resolve issues of concern to the US, or to any other country, is through respectful engagement," McEntee added.
Trump said on Saturday that Washington will impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland from Feb. 1, rising to 25% in June until there's a deal for "for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland." European leaders have vowed a coordinated response.
Trump argues that the autonomous territory of Denmark is needed for national security purposes, as well as to deter rivals such as Russia and China.
He criticized the recent European deployment of small numbers of military personnel to Greenland, saying: "These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question."
