European leaders on Sunday hit back at US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, with far-right Italian leader Giorgia Meloni urging Washington against making a "mistake". In a joint statement, the countries affected said: "Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile called on the European Union to combat the threatened tariffs by deploying its powerful "anti-coercion instrument". READ ALSO: Thousands join anti-Trump 'hands off Greenland' protests in DenmarkAdvertisementFrance's Agricultural Minister Annie Genevard warned that tariffs would hurt Washington, too. "In this escalation of tariffs, (Trump) has a lot to lose as well, as do his own farmers and industrialists," she told broadcasters Europe 1 and CNews.

Source: The Local January 18, 2026 14:49 UTC