Launching another trade war with Europe won't win Greenland [View all]

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Tariffs aimed at coercing Denmark into selling the island will make America poorer.

President Donald Trump threatened this weekend to unilaterally impose 10 percent tariffs on eight European countries until a deal is reached that makes Greenland part of the United States. In other words, American businesses and consumers will pay higher prices because Denmark, a strong ally which already welcomes U.S. troops and investment in Greenland, isn’t willing to cede territory.

In addition to Denmark, the new tariff will also affect goods from Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Those seven each sent a handful of troops to Greenland to participate in a Danish military exercise. Trump threatened to raise the duties to 25 percent on all eight countries come June if no agreement has been reached.

Without firing a shot or breaking up NATO, Trump hopes to bully and cajole Denmark into selling a swath of its kingdom that is geographically larger than Mexico. Trump, a developer at heart, sees this as a potential crown jewel for his legacy. Such an acquisition would be slightly larger than President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. U.S. planners reportedly estimate that purchasing Greenland could cost up to $700 billion, though economic coercion may lower the price tag, as does the U.S. refusing to rule out using the military to take it by force.

But Denmark insists it will never sell, and Trump’s behavior is already exacting an intangible price on the transatlantic relationship. The eight countries put out a joint statement on Sunday to say Trump’s “tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” They downplayed the small contingents of troops they sent to Greenland, saying it was part of a preplanned exercise called “Arctic Endurance” that “poses no threat to anyone.”

https://wapo.st/4pLz06o

One of the rare intelligent editorials by WaPo lately. Too much of them these days are verbal analingus of their great orange leader