Trump drops planned tariffs after US reaches draft agreement with NATO
Caroline MolloyPresident Donald Trump said Jan. 21 that his administration has reached a framework agreement with NATO on the future of Greenland, prompting him to drop tariffs that were set to take effect in February.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said he had reached an understanding with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote. “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations.”
He added, “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.”
As CatholicVote previously reported, Trump said Jan. 17 that he would implement a 10% tariff on eight NATO countries unless an agreement was reached on Greenland, with the tariff rising to 25% by June 1. Trump’s economic threat and broader push to acquire Greenland drew criticism from European allies and became a flashpoint at Davos, fueling concerns about a strain on transatlantic relations.
Trump said in his post that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and others will oversee additional talks on Greenland and related Arctic issues, including the “Golden Dome” missile defense system the President has linked to U.S. control of the island.
Speaking to reporters later in the day, Trump called the framework “a great deal for everybody” and said it “gets us everything we wanted,” AP News reported. Asked how long the agreement would last, he said “forever” and described it as “an infinite deal.”
In a statement issued hours later, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart described the meeting between Rutte and Trump as “very productive.”
“Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies,” the statement said. “Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland.”
