Trump Announces Framework for Greenland Deal, Withdraws NATO Tariff Threat

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte have agreed on what he described as a “framework of a future deal” concerning Greenland, prompting him to withdraw a planned tariff threat against European allies.

In a post on social media, Trump said the framework followed what he called a “very productive meeting” with Rutte and would cover Greenland as well as the broader Arctic region. He added that, based on the understanding reached, the United States would no longer impose tariffs that were scheduled to take effect on February 1.

“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America and all NATO nations,” Trump wrote.

The president did not provide details of the framework or clarify whether it includes U.S. ownership of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is a NATO member.

Speaking later in interviews with CNBC and CNN, Trump remained vague about the specifics of the proposed deal. He said discussions focused on cooperation in the Arctic, security concerns, and other strategic interests.

“We have a concept of a deal,” Trump told CNBC. “It’s going to be very good for the United States and also for them. We’re going to work together on something having to do with the Arctic as a whole, but also Greenland.”

When asked directly whether the agreement involved U.S. ownership of Greenland, Trump said the issue was “complex” and declined to comment further.

In an interview with CNN, the president said the United States had achieved “everything we wanted,” describing the proposed agreement as a long-term arrangement that would strengthen security and address access to minerals and other resources. He added that the deal would be “forever.”

Earlier on Wednesday, while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump ruled out using military force to take control of Greenland. However, he maintained that the United States is best positioned to defend the territory and called for immediate negotiations.

Trump also reiterated his view that ownership, rather than a lease or agreement, would be necessary for effective defense, arguing that Greenland’s strategic location would be critical in the event of a major conflict.

Last week, as part of his push on Greenland, Trump announced plans to impose a new 10 percent tariff on eight European countries, with a warning that the rate could rise to 25 percent if the United States was unable to purchase the island. Those threats led European officials to suspend a trade agreement with Washington that had been negotiated last summer.

With the announcement of the Greenland framework, Trump said the proposed tariffs would no longer move forward.