President Donald Trump said Wednesday he has agreed to a “framework of a future deal” concerning Greenland and backed down from his threat to impose tariffs on European countries over the Danish territory.
“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.”
Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will lead negotiations over a potential deal. He alluded to the “Golden Dome,” a space-based missile defense system he hopes to build one day, but did not disclose any specifics beyond that.
Even so, the announcement capped a tit-for-tat day of moves and countermoves and appeared to signal — at least for now — a de-escalation in tensions between him and his European counterparts, who have been deeply exasperated by his calls for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.
Trump’s statement also carves a potential exit lane for him on an issue of his own making that has failed to resonate with Americans while angering longtime U.S. allies.
Trump has alternated between persuasion and threats as he attempts to make his play for the Arctic island. He threatened to impose tariffs on European allies on Saturday, and on Wednesday, he told fellow leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that the U.S. could take military action to seize the Arctic island — but that he does not want to do so.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” he said in his speech. “Now everyone’s saying, ‘Oh, good.’ That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
Hours later, the European Union halted the approval of a trade deal with the U.S. due to his barrage of threats over Greenland. Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, said in a statement that no progress will be made on the trade agreement reached with Trump last year “until the US decides to re-engage on a path of cooperation rather than confrontation.”
Lange added: “By threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an EU member state and by using tariffs as a coercive instrument, the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU-US trade relations.”
Over the past few weeks, Trump has repeatedly claimed Greenland is vital to national and global security. In his speech Wednesday, he portrayed the U.S. as the only nation that can protect and develop what he called the “cold and poorly located” Arctic island — which, he said, would be “good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us.”
“So we want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said about the U.S.’ NATO allies. “So they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.