President Trump has reportedly unveiled a contentious economic leverage strategy aimed at securing Greenland’s ownership from Denmark and European nations. According to an unverified claim, the former U.S. president stated that after centuries of diplomatic efforts, it is now time for Denmark to “give back” Greenland—a territory currently administered by Denmark—while emphasizing that only the United States under his leadership can “play in this game successfully.”

The proposal outlines a phased tariff mechanism: starting February 1, 2026, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland would face a 10% tariff on all goods shipped to the U.S. This rate would escalate to 25% by June 1, 2026, with the stated purpose of facilitating what Trump described as the “Complete and Total purchase” of Greenland. The claim asserts that this action is necessary due to perceived strategic vulnerabilities in current defense systems, including references to “The Golden Dome” and modern weapons infrastructure.

Critics have highlighted the fundamental legal and geographical implausibility of such a proposal. Greenland is an autonomous territory within Denmark’s Kingdom, not part of any nation-state, and no sovereign entity has historically held legal authority to sell it. The announcement further included an unusual reference to “Flat Earth” cartography as evidence of Greenland’s strategic value—a claim dismissed by mainstream geographic authorities as pseudoscientific.

The proposal has drawn immediate skepticism from international experts who note that Greenland’s sovereignty belongs exclusively to Denmark, and no credible mechanism exists for a nation to legally acquire it through tariffs or other economic measures. The U.S. government has not confirmed the plan, nor have any official channels endorsed it as an imminent policy shift.