Trump pauses Greenland-linked tariffs on 8 European countries

[LetMyPeopleVote]

TACO-Trump Always Chicken Out. NATO has no ability to negotiate ownership of Greenland.

Trump pauses Greenland-linked tariffs on 8 European countries
www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...

— Donald Pedersen (@watchingevil.bsky.social) 2026-01-21T19:49:15.233Z

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-pauses-greenland-tariffs-rcna255270

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he would not impose tariffs on eight European countries that were set to go into effect on Feb. 1 unless those countries allowed the United States to take control of Greenland.

On Saturday, Trump said he would hit Denmark, the U.K. and other countries involved in NATO exercises with a 10% tariff starting next month.

"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.

"Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st," he added.

Trump had said if those countries did not comply with his demands by June, the tariff would rise to 25%

[Irish_Dem]

1. Did Europe cave to Trump?

[senseandsensibility]

2. I don't want to think so

I bet they told him what they were gonna do in retaliation and as we know, TACO ensued. I mean, I think he is surrounded by yes men and went in thinking Europe held no cards.

[Irish_Dem]

11. So Trump did all this damage for no reason.

Maybe damage is the point.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. We'll see. My guess is that he'll build another base in Greenland (or expand the existing one), as he always could have

Last edited Wed Jan 21, 2026, 04:12 PM - Edit history (1)

but it's possible he's got some European countries to pay something for it to get him to shut up and go away. And he'll name it "Fort Trump".

We now have a comment from Sweden, which implies that Trump backed down in the face of firm opposition:

Sweden’s foreign minister, Maria Stenergard, said today that it was “good” that Donald Trump backed away from tariffs against Nato members “who have supported Denmark and Greenland”.

“The demands for relocated borders have received well-deserved harsh criticism,” she said in a statement. “That is also why we have repeatedly stated that we will not let ourselves be blackmailed. It seems that our work together with allies has had an effect.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/jan/21/us-politics-live-supreme-court-fed-lisa-cook-donald-trump-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-697137768f089452a6938f75#block-697137768f089452a6938f75

Trump has muttered about "mineral rights" and his "Golden Dome":

The president hasn’t released any information about the “framework” of a future deal on Greenland that he announced on social media. However, in an interview with CNBC, he said that a deal would include Nato’s involvement on his sought-after missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome”, and well as “mineral rights” for the US.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/jan/21/us-politics-live-supreme-court-fed-lisa-cook-donald-trump-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-697135378f08130e628897cd#block-697135378f08130e628897cd

[Irish_Dem]

16. He does so much damage and then backs down.

Looks like the damage part is the goal.

[Cattledog]

4. He has a "Framework" of a deal. LOL

He needed an off ramp. My guess he will reopen some of the Bases that the US closed years ago.

[Johonny]

5. I wonder if Bessent and family

Insider traded off this . . . I mean, they did, right?

[yellowcanine]

6. "Framework of a deal" is Trump speak for TACO - again!

Trump got his ass handed to him and he is claiming a win.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

7. I'm guessing that most of this Greenland nonsense will go away shortly

As I believe it was mostly a distraction from Epstein

[senseandsensibility]

8. Lawrence O'Donnell has always said that it is a distraction from Epstein

He's been saying that for months now, But it's also a distraction from Ukraine. Without this Greenland BS, all of the parties involved would have been discussing Ukraine. Gee, I wonder who benefits from the distraction?

[Just_Vote_Dem]

9. Gee, it wouldn't be V.P. from R., would it?

I wonder what his next bullshit distraction is going to be-on the other hand, I don't really want to know

[LetMyPeopleVote]

10. Trump Always Chickens Out

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Trump touts mysterious 'framework' of a deal for Greenland

There is no framework just like there was no health care plan

President Donald Trump claimed to have a "framework of a future deal" regarding Greenland without saying whether it would become part of the United States as he had vowed it would.

— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-01-21T19:50:46Z

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-announcement-greenland

President Donald Trump claimed to have a "framework of a future deal" regarding Greenland without saying whether it would become part of the United States as he had vowed it would.

"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 in a Wednesday Truth Social post from Switzerland.

"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," he added....

Trump made no mention of whether leaders from Denmark were consulted. Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. president ruled out using military force to take control of Greenland.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. The status of Greenland was not discussed with NATO

Link to tweet

[jmowreader]

14. He shoulda done it yesterday

"TACO Wednesday" doesn't really sound right.

[thought crime]

15. The "framework of a future deal" is pure BS. It was the sell off of US Treasuries.

Once again, the threat of a trade war prompted a sell off of US Treasury bonds and Trump very promptly backed off.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. MaddowBlog-Five things to know about Trump's 'concept of a deal' on Greenland and tariffs

Any suggestion there’s a substantive agreement appears to be wrong. As the president has admitted, the details don't exist yet.

Five things to know about Trump’s ‘concept of a deal’ on Greenland and tariffs - MS NOW

apple.news/AMC7-sqG7TVC...

— (@oc88.bsky.social) 2026-01-22T15:08:49.790Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-greenland-concept-of-a-deal-five-things-to-know

After years of assurances that his health care plan was just “two weeks” away, Donald Trump was pressed during a 2024 debate on this elusive blueprint. The Republican famously declared, “I have concepts of a plan.”.....

And yet, after the president announced that he’d agreed to “a framework” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the future of Greenland, the Republican faced inevitable questions about the agreement’s contents, and he decided to lean once again on a familiar phrase.

Kernen: “Can you go into what you just talked about with the NATO meeting?”

Trump: “Well, we have a concept of a deal.”

— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2026-01-21T20:50:23.909Z

“We have a concept of a deal,” Trump told CNBC on Wednesday afternoon.

As the dust settles on the head-spinning developments, here are five key elements to keep in mind:

1. For now, the details of the deal don’t appear to exist. Shortly after announcing the breakthrough by way of his social media platform, the American president conceded to reporters, “It’s right now a little bit in progress.” On Thursday morning, during a Fox Business interview, he added, “It’s really being negotiated now, the details of it.” Any suggestion there’s a meaningful agreement in place appears misguided.

2. Be prepared for a fresh round of “TACO” mockery. Throughout 2025, the president confronted consistent “Trump Always Chickens Out” ridicule, mostly driven by his willingness to back off his treats of tariffs in the face of sharp stock market downturns. This week, it happened again. The Republican specifically referenced the stock market three times during his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, shortly before caving — which left little doubt as to why he was eager to back away from the crisis he created.....

5. He could still reverse course again. The incumbent American president hasn’t exactly earned a reputation for steadfastness and consistency. There were few similarities between his approach to Greenland on Tuesday and his approach on Wednesday. What will his position be next week or next month? No one knows, and that’s part of the broader problem: Trump is an erratic and easily confused official who tends to be swayed by the last person to have his ear, which necessarily makes it difficult for anyone, including our closest allies, to have confidence about the future.