Dutch foreign minister David van Weel on Sunday described plans by US president Donald Trump to impose tariffs on eight European countries because of their support for Greenland as “blackmail”, “incomprehensible” and “inappropriate”.
Speaking on the television current affairs show WNL op Zondag, Van Weel said efforts now have to be made to make sure “this ridiculous plan” is scrapped.
“This is blackmail and it is not the way to work with your allies,” the minister said.
The Netherlands, he said, does not plan to recall the two people it has sent to the Arctic island to take part in the preparations for a Nato exercise, despite the threats. And once the actual operation starts, the Netherlands will send more soldiers to join in, but how many has not yet been decided.
European leaders will travel to Davos in Switzerland this week for the World Economic Forum and Trump is also expected to attend. “We have a lot of homework to do there,” Van Weel said. “And the first priority is to get this ridiculous proposal off the table.”
Europe
The European Commission has warned the move threatens to undermine relations between the United States and Europe with commission president Ursula von der Leyen saying the 10% tariffs announced by Trump risk triggering “a dangerous downward spiral”.
The Danish mission, she said, had been coordinated in advance and was aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic.
Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that the tariffs will apply from February 1 to all goods from countries sending troops to Greenland. If Greenland has not been “bought” by June, he said, the tariffs will rise to 25%.
Defence minister Ruben Brekelmans announced earlier this week that the Netherlands is sending two military personnel to Greenland as part of the Danish mission, which is seen as preparation for a possible Nato exercise.
Dutch MPs have also been quick to condemn the tariffs. ChristenUnie MP Pieter Grinwis called the move “bizarre”, while GroenLinks-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver accused the US of blackmail, saying the move demands a “robust response” from Europe.
CDA parliamentarian Derk Boswijk said the Netherlands is participating in the reconnaissance mission in Greenland “because it takes the security concerns of its Nato ally, the United States, in the Arctic region seriously.”
“In that context, responding with tariffs would be highly illogical,” Boswijk said.
Exports
Dutch businesses also warned of serious economic damage if the tariffs go ahead. Exporters’ association Evofenedex said the tariffs are “very harmful” for companies trading with the US, creating uncertainty over whether to continue exporting or look for alternative markets.
In 2024, the Netherlands exported more than €38 billion worth of goods to the US, nearly 6% of total exports, while imports from the US totalled almost €60 billion.
Within Europe, criticism was outspoken. Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson said Europe “will not be blackmailed”, while French president Emmanuel Macron called the tariffs “unacceptable” and said no intimidation would influence France.
British prime minister Keir Starmer said imposing tariffs on allies pursuing collective Nato security was “completely wrong”.
Retaliation
Some have already called for the recently agreed EU–US. trade deal to be put on hold because of the US threat.
Dutch MEP Bart Groothuis said the EU should be prepared to respond more forcefully, including by deploying the bloc’s anti-coercion instrument, which could target US companies through trade restrictions, public procurement bans or limits on intellectual property rights. “At some point we have to draw a line,” he said.
The commander of the Dutch armed forces Onno Eichelsheim warned that escalating tensions risk creating a rift within Nato. “That plays into Putin’s hands,” he told Nieuwsuur on Saturday.
EU member states are due to discuss the US tariffs collectively on Sunday afternoon.
