‘The U.S. has turned into a bully’: NATO expert on Trump’s tactics to gain control of Greenland

Former deputy assistant secretary of defence for European and NATO policy says U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff tactics to gain control of Greenland are “unprecedented” and can harm the NATO alliance.

“This is not something that’s being received well on Capitol Hill, neither by Republicans nor Democrats,” Jim Townsend told CTV News Channel on Sunday.

“We’re pretty appalled. If his goal is to split up the alliance, he’s getting closer and closer to that.”

• READ MORE: Republicans and Democrats are trying to contain Trump’s Greenland aggression. Will it be enough?

Eight of the 32 countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance would face a 10 per cent tariff on exports to the U.S. starting Feb. 1, which would increase to 25 per cent starting June 1, for opposing U.S. control of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Trump said in a social media post.

The countries facing the tariff threat include Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.

• READ MORE: Former foreign affairs minister warns Canada could be next in tariff dispute over Greenland

Following the announcement, the countries put out a joint statement stating that they stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and that “tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

The statement added that the Operation Arctic Endurance, organized by Denmark, is necessary and “poses no threat to anyone.”

• READ MORE: Europe warns of ‘dangerous downward spiral’ after Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “concerned” about the “escalation” of the U.S’s attempt to buy Greenland, when asked at a news conference in Doha on Sunday.

Carney has previously said that Canada supports Greenland’s sovereignty, noting that Denmark is a NATO ally and will continue to work with NATO allies to increase Arctic defence.

• READ MORE: There is ‘much alignment’ between Canada, China on Greenland sovereignty: Carney
• READ MORE: Canada plans to open consulates in Greenland and Alaska to strengthen Arctic presence

However, Trump’s tariff tactics could impact the NATO alliance, Townsend says.

“(What this) means for NATO is an increasing tone and an increasing feeling within the alliance that the U.S. can’t be trusted,” he said.

“The U.S. has turned into a bully, it’s become a threat, and it’s a country that you can’t work with any credibility or with any hope of achieving a goal that we might have been able to achieve a year or two or 10 or 20 years ago.”

“It’s something that is going to send a chill for the alliance.”