Trump tariffs stay updates: Starmer manufacturers US president’s tariff risk as ‘completely wrong’ | EUROtoday

Our Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reviews:

Former international secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind instructed the Independent: “Trump’s threat is reckless, dangerous and is bound to fail.

The UK, France, Germany and many other European countries will maintain their opposition to any US attempt to annexe Danish territory against the wishes of the Danish, and Greenland people.

Greenland has been governed by Denmark since the 1720s, 50 years before the United States was even created.

“Trump has as much right to demand the annexation of Greenland against the wishes of its people as Canada would have to demand Alaska; or Mexico to demand the return of New Mexico.

Tariff increase threats should have no impact on the British or European response.

We must hope that US Senators and Congressmen, regardless of party, will make clear their united opposition to this dangerous policy of the current President. Also, the US Supreme Court should rule that the tariff threats would be illegal and that annexation of Greenland would violate the US Constitution.

If the American people do not force the President to drop this policy then we will face a serious breach between Europe, including the UK, and the US for the remainder of the Trump Presidency. This will create many serious economic and political problems. But to concede Trump’s demands would be much worse.

Trump is not as bad as Putin but he seems determined to destroy his own reputation in a manner that history will not forgive.”

A German auto trade foyer group has warned the price of Trump’s tariffs will likely be “enormous” for German and European trade.

“The costs of these additional tariffs would be enormous for German and European industry, especially in these already challenging times,” stated Hildegard Mueller, the president of the German auto trade affiliation VDA.

“What is crucial now is a smart, strategic response from Brussels that is coordinated with the countries affected,” she added.

Sweden is in talks with the UK and different European nations concerning the proposed Trump tariffs, its Prime Minster has stated.

Writing on social media, Ulf Kristersson stated: “We will not let ourselves be blackmailed.

“Only Denmark and Greenland decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland.

“I will always stand up for my country, and for our allied neighbours. This is an EU issue that affects many more countries than those now being singled out.

“Sweden is now having intensive discussions with other EU countries, Norway, and the United Kingdom for a co-ordinated response.”

British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated Donald Trump’s announcement of tariffs is “completely wrong”.

Sir Keir stated in an announcement: “Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes.

“We have additionally made clear that Arctic Security issues for the entire of NATO and allies ought to all do extra collectively to handle the risk from Russia throughout completely different components of the Arctic.

“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”

President Donald Trump’s risk of tariffs to punish European nations over Greenland is an indication of Europe’s weak spot and incapability to behave, the top of Germany’s DIW financial analysis institute stated on Saturday.

“Europe has steadily given in and let Trump have his way, instead of standing up for its own interests and promoting multilateralism globally,” stated DIW President Marcel Fratzscher.

“This mistake is now coming back to haunt us,” Fratzscher stated, including that Trump would “continue to blackmail Europe until Europe… shows backbone, and acts more wisely”.

French president Emmanuel Macron has issued a punchy response to Donald Trump’s “unacceptable” tariffs announcement.

“No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations,” he stated.

“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context,” he added in a publish on X. “Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner if they were to be confirmed. We will know how to uphold European sovereignty.”

The French president stated the idea in nationwide sovereignty, which outlined its response to Russians conflict in Ukraine, can even outline the way it approaches the Greenland difficulty.

We’ve now heard from European Council president Antonio Costa, who stated the EU was very agency in defending worldwide regulation, in response to a query about new tariff threats from US president Donald Trump.

Mr Costa added that he was coordinating an EU response on the problem.

“What we can say is that the European Union will always be very firm in defending international law, wherever it may be, which of course begins within the territory of the member states of the European Union,” Mr Costa instructed a press convention shortly after Trump’s announcement.

“For now, I am coordinating a joint response from the member states of the European Union on this issue,” he continued.

The chief of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, is the newest to answer Donald Trump’s tariffs announcement.

Writing on social media, he stated: “We don’t always agree with the US government and in this case we certainly don’t. These tariffs will hurt us.

“If Greenland is vulnerable to malign influences, then have another look at Diego Garcia.”

The chief of the UK’s Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has stated Donald Trump is “punishing” the UK.

Writing on social media, he stated: “Starmer’s US policy lies in tatters. Trump is now punishing the UK and Nato allies just for doing the right thing.

“Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan.”

We’re nonetheless ready to listen to from prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and different European leaders of nations that now face tariffs.