US threatens UK with tariffs in high-stakes Greenland sovereignty dispute
The US has threatened the UK with steep tariffs unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland. Former President Donald Trump announced a 10% levy on British goods from 1 February, rising to 25% by June. The move has sparked outrage in Europe and put pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his stance on territorial sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the UK government continues negotiations to transfer control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a process criticised for excluding the displaced Chagossian community.
Trump’s tariff announcement came as part of a broader push to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. He argued that Europe benefits from favourable US trade terms while failing to address security concerns. European leaders quickly condemned the threat, calling it coercive and destabilising to transatlantic relations.
In response, Starmer labelled the tariffs 'completely wrong' and reaffirmed support for Greenland’s self-determination. Critics, however, pointed to his government’s handling of the Chagos Islands dispute as inconsistent. The UK has been negotiating since 2022 to transfer sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius, while maintaining a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia. A Judicial Review on the legality of this transfer is currently before UK courts, with a ruling pending.
The Chagossian people, forcibly removed from their homeland in the 1960s and 1970s, have been sidelined in the talks. Their right to return remains unresolved, despite repeated calls for inclusion. Adding to the controversy, the US Department of Defense recently awarded a $656 million contract to Amentum Mitie Pacific for base operations on Diego Garcia, extending support services until 2034.
Starmer now faces scrutiny over whether his principles on self-determination align with his government’s actions. The Greenland tariff dispute has further intensified questions about his consistency on territorial sovereignty issues.
The UK government must now navigate both international trade tensions and domestic legal challenges. The tariffs, set to take effect in February, could strain relations with the US unless Denmark enters negotiations over Greenland. At the same time, the outcome of the Chagos Islands Judicial Review will determine whether the sovereignty transfer—and the future of the displaced Chagossians—proceeds as planned. The $656 million Diego Garcia contract ensures the military base’s long-term operation, regardless of the islands’ political status.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
