MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Trump says “framework” deal with NATO on Greenland is taking shape and drops tariff threat

Trump did not clarify whether the “framework” includes any form of US ownership, but told US media the concept could involve mineral-related rights and broader defense priorities

US President Donald Trump said his administration has agreed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a “framework” for a potential understanding covering Greenland and the wider Arctic region, and announced he would pull back a tariff threat aimed at several European allies. Trump offered no operational detail, but framed the talks as a solution that would benefit the United States and NATO as a whole.

The statement followed what both sides described as a “very productive” meeting. Trump said the “framework” touches “Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” and tied his decision to cancel levies scheduled to take effect on February 1 to that emerging “understanding.” Rutte publicly endorsed Trump’s description of the meeting, while avoiding sovereignty questions and saying Danish sovereignty over Greenland was not discussed.

In Copenhagen, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen struck a conciliatory note, saying the day ended “on a better note than it began,” and calling for talks to address American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the “red lines” of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Danish response signaled de-escalation, without publicly conceding Trump’s long-running ownership demand.

Trump did not clarify whether the “framework” includes any form of US ownership, but told US media the concept could involve mineral-related rights and broader defense priorities, including his planned “Golden Dome” missile-defense vision. US officials have repeatedly cited Greenland’s strategic location and its resource potential, arguing the Arctic is becoming more contested amid Russian and Chinese interest.

The shift came as Trump addressed global leaders in Davos, where he said he wanted negotiations and would not use military force—after weeks in which tariff threats and sharp rhetoric strained transatlantic ties. European capitals are now watching for specifics: what, exactly, the “framework” commits allies to do, and what Washington is prepared to offer in return.