Trump tariffs live updates: Starmer brands US president’s tariff threat as ‘completely wrong’

Ambassadors from the European Union’s 27 countries will convene on Sunday for an emergency meeting after US president Donald Trump vowed a wave of increasing tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland.

Cyprus, which holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, said late on Saturday that it had called the meeting for Sunday. EU diplomats said it was set to start at 5pm (4pm GMT, 11am ET).

Lawmakers in the European Union may be set to block the approval of the bloc’s trade deal with the US, after Donald Trump as threatened tariffs on seven countries over their Greenland policy.

Manfred Weber, the president of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament – the largest political group – said an agreement with the US is no longer possible.

“The EPP is in favor of the EU-US trade deal, but given Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, approval is not possible at this stage,” Mr Weber said in a post on social media.

The agreement to lower tariffs on US products “must be put on hold”, he said.

The trade agreement was struck between European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Trump last summer, as the former looked to avoid a full-blown trade war with the US.

But it still requires approval from the parliament, and critics have said it is too heavily weighted in the US’ favour.

Our chief international correspondent Bel Trew takes a look at Donald Trump’s fixation with Greenland:

In his post, Trump accused allies of Denmark of playing a “very dangerous game”.

“These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” Trump wrote.

“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades,” he said.

Donald Trump’s plan to hit the UK with tariffs until a deal is reached to purchase Greenland has prompted criticism from politicians who fear for their impact on the economy.

The US president said the UK will be charged a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Trump was “completely wrong” to impose tariffs over Greenland, adding they would be a “burden for businesses across our country”.

Reform leader Nigel Farage said the tariffs would “hurt” the UK, and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Trump was “punishing” the UK.

The Green Party has said “unhinged” Donald Trump’s tariff threat was an “outrageous abuse of power”, and that the UK should not be “cowed”.

Ellie Chowns, the leader of the Parliamentary Green Party and MP for North Herefordshire, said in a statement: “Donald Trump treats the international stage like a schoolyard playground, attempting to bully and brute force other countries into compliance with his imperialist agenda.

“The unhinged president’s latest threat to impose tariffs on the UK and a swathe of our European allies is an outrageous abuse of power and a direct attack on the principle of national self-determination, treating the future of Greenland as if it were a piece of spoils to be bought and sold.

“The UK must not be cowed. In an attempt to uphold Britain’s so-called ‘special relationship’ with the US, the UK Government has continuously appeased and emboldened the increasingly erratic president as he pursues a dangerous agenda of naked geopolitical vanity. This cannot continue. Chasing the White House’s favour will not secure Britain’s economic future; it leaves us exposed to the whims of a man with no respect for international law and order.

“The UK Government must show genuine backbone: publicly reject this brutish manipulation tactic by Trump, stand firm with Greenland’s right to self-determination, and urgently pursue closer, constructive ties with Europe that protect Britain’s long-term interests.

“Greenland cannot be bought – it’s time to prove that Britain can’t be either.”

Our Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:

Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind told the Independent: “Trump’s threat is reckless, dangerous and is bound to fail.

The UK, France, Germany and many other European countries will maintain their opposition to any US attempt to annexe Danish territory against the wishes of the Danish, and Greenland people.

Greenland has been governed by Denmark since the 1720s, 50 years before the United States was even created.

“Trump has as much right to demand the annexation of Greenland against the wishes of its people as Canada would have to demand Alaska; or Mexico to demand the return of New Mexico.

Tariff increase threats should have no impact on the British or European response.

We must hope that US Senators and Congressmen, regardless of party, will make clear their united opposition to this dangerous policy of the current President. Also, the US Supreme Court should rule that the tariff threats would be illegal and that annexation of Greenland would violate the US Constitution.

If the American people do not force the President to drop this policy then we will face a serious breach between Europe, including the UK, and the US for the remainder of the Trump Presidency. This will create many serious economic and political problems. But to concede Trump’s demands would be much worse.

Trump is not as bad as Putin but he seems determined to destroy his own reputation in a manner that history will not forgive.”

A German auto industry lobby group has warned the cost of Trump’s tariffs will be “enormous” for German and European industry.

“The costs of these additional tariffs would be enormous for German and European industry, especially in these already challenging times,” said Hildegard Mueller, the president of the German auto industry association VDA.

“What is crucial now is a smart, strategic response from Brussels that is coordinated with the countries affected,” she added.