Former US President Donald Trump has significantly escalated geopolitical tensions by threatening to impose tariffs on several European countries that oppose the United States' acquisition of Greenland. This announcement, made in January 2026, has sent ripples through global financial markets, causing US stock futures to slide and European indices to open in negative territory. The threat specifically targets eight European nations, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom, with an initial 10% tariff on goods from February 1, potentially increasing to 25% by June if no deal is reached on Greenland. Trump has repeatedly argued that acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is a critical national security imperative for the United States, citing concerns about Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. However, Danish and Greenlandic authorities have consistently maintained that the island is not for sale. The latest tariff threats have been met with widespread condemnation from European leaders, who have labeled the move as 'blackmail' and 'unacceptable,' with some countries, like France, proposing retaliatory measures. The market's immediate reaction reflects heightened risk aversion, with investors flocking to safe-haven assets; gold prices, for instance, surged to new record highs following Trump's statements. This development signals a potential new phase of transatlantic trade friction, driven by geopolitical motives rather than purely economic ones, and poses a significant challenge to NATO alliance cohesion.