Europe's hard-right parties are delivering mixed reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Greenland tariff" threat. They had previously maintained a friendly stance toward Trump, but as public opinion on him sours in Europe, they appear to be recalibrating their line.
According to foreign media including the Financial Times (FT) on the 19th local time, after President Trump announced a plan to impose tariffs of up to 25% on eight European countries that are pushing back against the annexation of Greenland, Europe's hard-right politicians moved to contain the fallout in different ways. Some shifted blame to Europe's political class, while others openly criticized Trump.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, appeared to draw a line against Trump's plan. He had showcased personal ties with Trump, including attending Trump's rallies during the 2016 presidential election, but this time he unusually voiced opposition.
Farage said, "We do not always agree with the U.S. government, and we clearly do not agree on this issue," adding, "Tariffs will harm the United Kingdom." However, he did not directly criticize the Greenland plan itself.
Alice Weidel, co-leader of Alternative for Germany, redirected her fire from President Trump to the German government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and unleashed a broadside. Weidel said, "The government's deployment of troops to Greenland is a disgrace," arguing, "We should seek solutions through dialogue rather than a military response."
The party's poll numbers rose last year and it sought links with the U.S. MAGA (Trump's staunch supporters) camp, but it found itself in a difficult position as anti-American sentiment spread in Germany earlier this year amid the operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the controversy over incorporating Greenland.
In Italy, hard-line conservative politician Matteo Salvini, the deputy prime minister, also chose to attack France and Germany. Immediately after Trump announced the tariff plan on the 17th, the League (Lega), the party led by Salvini, wrote on social media, "The frenzied declaration to dispatch troops here and there has borne bitter fruit (tariffs)."
In France, even stronger criticism emerged. Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally (RN), said, "President Trump's remarks threatening the sovereignty of European countries are unacceptable," and argued, "We must suspend the trade deal signed last year between the United States and the European Union (EU)." This is in line with the French government's recent relatively hard-line stance toward the United States.
Some, however, offered implicit support for Trump. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, referring to Trump's offensive against the EU, said, "The international order is collapsing," and argued, "In the future, bilateral cooperation with Russia, Türkiye and the United States will become more important than the EU."
Mateusz Morawiecki, former Polish prime minister from the pan-European party European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), defended the United States more directly. Morawiecki said, "It is questionable whether Denmark can protect Greenland from Russia and China," and argued, "Greenland residents should be able to hold a referendum on whether to be incorporated."
Meanwhile, Denmark disclosed plans to deploy additional troops to Greenland the same day. The exact number of troops was not revealed, but broadcaster TV 2 cited a Ministry of National Defense source as saying the deployment would be of a "considerable" scale.