The Brian Lehrer Show Trump Escalates Tensions Over Greenland
Jan 20, 2026
Matt Steinglass, Europe editor at The Economist, dives into President Trump's eyebrow-raising comments about acquiring Greenland and the accompanying tariff threats on eight European nations. He explains how these tariffs could impact Europe's economy more than the U.S. and highlights the strong pushback from leaders in the UK and Germany. Steinglass also explores Greenland's strategic resources, NATO's existing security agreements, and the potential motives behind the U.S. interest in the territory, painting a complex picture of international relations.
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Tariff Threats To Coerce Over Greenland
- Trump threatened escalating tariffs on eight European countries to pressure them over Greenland, claiming national security reasons.
- Matt Steinglass says tariffs will make everyone poorer and hurt Europe slightly more than the U.S.
Economic Impact Will Be Small
- The Economist's analysis estimates the 10% tariff would cost Europe's GDP about 0.04%.
- The hit is small overall and unlikely to cause a European recession, Matt Steinglass notes.
European Troops: Symbolic Then Scaled
- European deployments to Greenland began as a symbolic response to U.S. security concerns about Russia and China.
- Initial reconnaissance forces numbered only a few dozen, later rising into the hundreds after Denmark increased deployments.