Trump's Tariffs Announcement: 'Most Concerning' for European Nations

The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance has said that the announcement by US President Donald Trump in relation to increasing tariffs on European countries was "most concerning and very unwelcome". In a statement, Simon Harris said that the threat of "penalising economies and businesses and linking that with Greenland is completely unacceptable". Yesterday, Mr Trump escalated his quest to acquire Greenland, threatening multiple European nations with tariffs of up to 25% until his purchase of the Danish territory is achieved. In a post on Truth Social, he said that from 1 February Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland would be subject to a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the US. He then said those tariffs will then increase to 25% from 1 June. Mr Harris said that he will meet other finance ministers in Brussels tomorrow and that Europe "will stand united and coordinated in considering how to respond". Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has said that the US president's announcement was "completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable". In a statement, she said that Ireland "has been crystal clear that the future of Greenland is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people, in line with well-established democratic principles and international law". The minister said that respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states was "non-negotiable" and a "fundamental principle" of the United Nations Charter and of international law. "It is what keeps all countries - large or small, militarily aligned or neutral - safe and secure," she said. Ambassadors from the European Union's 27 countries will meet for an emergency meeting on the issue later today. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned against Mr Trump's threat of tariffs which, she said, would "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral". More: Hitting a point of no return in Trump's Greenland quest Former Irish Ambassador to the United States, Daniel Mulhall, said Mr Trump's latest tariff threat is a "milestone moment". Speaking to RTÉ's Brendan O'Connor, he said that while he does not believe Europe will "throw the NATO alliance out the window", a tough response is needed. "This latest development is clearly a move to use trade policies to punish those European countries that support Denmark. "I think the European Union will have to respond, I don't think the European Union could take this move by the United States lying down. I think that would be a very bad signal to give because it would suggest that the European Union can roll over in any circumstances," he said. "I think it's going to be a very tough conversation in Brussels because Brussels is not like America. There is no central power; you have to get the agreement of 27 member states, the commission is involved, a lot of people are involved. "But I find it hard to believe that the outcome will be anything less than some kind of equivalent response by the European Union to try to show the Americans that this is not easy street for them."