Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose tariffs on allied nations over Greenland, calling it “without a doubt his most reckless assertion as President to date.”
Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019, said Friday that while he has long recognized the strategic importance of Greenland for Western security, Trump’s latest actions risk undermining stability in the Arctic and the broader North Atlantic region.
“Donald Trump’s tariffs against the U.K. and other allies for their position regarding Greenland is without a doubt his most reckless assertion as President to date,” Bolton said. “I have long said that a secure Greenland is undoubtedly critical for the West. But Trump’s latest bizarre outburst threatening tariffs on our allies in return for Greenland makes security and stability in the Arctic much harder to accomplish.”
The comment follows Trump’s announcement earlier in which he threatened 10% tariffs beginning Feb. 1, 2026, rising to 25% by June 1, on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland. The tariffs are intended to pressure Denmark to negotiate the sale of Greenland to the United States, a move that has triggered international condemnation and raised tensions with NATO allies.
European leaders have responded strongly to the announcement. French President Emmanuel Macron called the tariffs “unacceptable,” and European Union officials have emphasized that Greenland’s security is under Danish control and coordinated with NATO partners.
The announcement has also spurred widespread protests in Greenland and Denmark, with demonstrators marching in Copenhagen and Nuuk over the weekend to assert the island is “not for sale” and to oppose foreign interference in its future.
Bolton’s criticism adds to the chorus of voices within the United States and abroad warning that Trump’s approach to Greenland could destabilize established alliances and make Arctic security more difficult to maintain. Analysts say that the combination of economic pressure, military deployments by European allies, and ongoing U.S. political rhetoric has heightened uncertainty about the region’s strategic future.
