GOP senators warn Trump's Greenland-linked tariffs could hurt U.S., fracture NATO
By lauraharris // 2026-01-20
Copy
 
  • Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski warned that President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Denmark and other European allies could harm the U.S. economy, fracture North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and benefit adversaries like Russia and China.
  • Trump announced 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark, the UK, Norway, France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands starting Feb. 1, with rates rising to 25% on June 1.
  • Tillis said punishing allies for sending small troop contingents to Greenland is counterproductive and criticized advisers pushing coercive action against allied territory.
  • Murkowski called the tariffs "unnecessary" and "punitive," arguing they weaken U.S. leadership, strain alliances and distract NATO at a time of heightened global security risks.
  • Trump defended the tariffs on Truth Social, saying the U.S. has long subsidized Europe and will keep the levies in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," while signaling openness to negotiations.
Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski have warned that President Donald Trump's decision to impose new tariffs on Denmark and several European allies could damage the U.S. economy, deepen divisions within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and benefit American adversaries. Trump recently announced that the U.S. will impose 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands beginning on Feb. 1, with the levies set to rise to 25% on June 1. However, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tillis (R-N.C.) said the administration's response to allied troop deployments was counterproductive and dangerous "This response to our own allies for sending a small number of troops to Greenland for training is bad for America, bad for American businesses and bad for America's allies. It's great for Putin, Xi and other adversaries who want to see NATO divided," Tillis posted. He went further, criticizing the internal pressure on Trump to pursue coercive measures against an ally. "The fact that a small handful of "advisors" are actively pushing for coercive action to seize territory of an ally is beyond stupid. It hurts the legacy of President Trump and undercuts all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years," Tillis added. Murkowski (R-Alaska) echoed those concerns in a separate post, calling the tariffs "unnecessary, punitive and a profound mistake." "They will push our core European allies further away while doing nothing to advance U.S. national security. We are already seeing the consequences of these measures in real time: our NATO allies are being forced to divert attention and resources to Greenland, a dynamic that plays directly into Putin's hands by threatening the stability of the strongest coalition of democracies the world has ever seen," Murkowski said. She then urged Congress to assert its authority over trade policy to ensure tariffs are "not weaponized in ways that harm our alliances and undermine American leadership."

Trump defends Greenland-linked tariffs

A tariff, as BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, is a tax imposed on imported goods, which increases the cost of these goods for consumers, disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income families who spend a larger portion of their income on essential goods. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump defended his decision to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European allies. He argued that the U.S. has long subsidized those countries through low trade barriers and must now take "strong measures" to protect global security and U.S. national interests tied to Greenland. "We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the countries of the European Union and others, for many years by not charging them tariffs or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back – world peace is at stake!" Trump wrote. He added that the tariffs would remain in place "until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland." Moreover, Trump said that the U.S. is "immediately open to negotiation" with Denmark and other European countries affected by the tariffs. "The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump concluded. Watch this clip of U.S. President Donald Trump reiterating that Washington "needs Greenland" during an interview aboard Air Force One.
This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com X.com 1 X.com 2 TheHill.com TruthSocial.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
Copy