Trade Deal Could Suffer Because of Greenland

EU officials are considering pausing their trade deal with the U.S. if President Trump follows through on his threat to slap tariffs on EU countries that oppose his Greenland takeover plan.

Last year’s U.S. trade deal with the EU’s 27-nation trading block was one of the biggest in history, complemented by a separate UK deal, both greatly expanding U.S. farm exports.  Now, EU ambassadors are discussing retaliation, including a pause in tariff relief, over President Trump’s threat to hit eight EU nations with new tariffs next month for opposing his Greenland takeover bid.

Administration Contends Greenland Is An Issue Of National Security

“The president has a strong view that it’s a national security matter for the U.S. to have more control over Greenland,”  White House National Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett recently told Fox News.

Others argue it’s about Greenland’s minerals and worry Trump’s also risking NATO and an eight-decade transatlantic alliance.

Why Are We Doing This To Our Allies?

“Denmark, Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, that’s our ally, it’s our friend. So, I’m puzzled by the President’s threats of tariffs,” said House Foreign Affairs member Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania.

The controversy comes at a perilous time for American farmers as record harvests depress a host of commodity prices and export losses from tariff retaliation, especially by China, remain.

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