Nigel Farage has responded to Donald Trump’s Greenland threat.
Nigel Farage condemns Donald Trump’s ‘wrong’ threats over tariffs (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has condemned Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on the UK and NATO allies. Reform UK’s leader confirmed his support for the US President but said that using economic threats is “wrong” Speaking outside Parliament, Mr Farage said:”Whether Trump’s bluffing or not is always difficult to tell. But to use economic threats against the country that’s been considered to be your closest ally for over a hundred years is not the kind of thing we would expect.
“It’s wrong, it’s bad, it would be very very hurtful to us. I think we’re in a position where we can negotiate – we’re not tied. We’re not tied by European Union trade rules, that does give us an advantage in these negotiations, but I would just say this: I’m all for Trump taking out enemies of the West. Maduro, the Iranian regime.
“But, if he falls out with his own allies and leaves America isolated, that would be a very bad place to be.
“I’m worried about it, I’m concerned about it, I’ve always been a supporter of the President since way before he got elected for the first time. But I will be having some words with the American administration in Davos on Wednesday on this issue.
“It’s wrong.”
Sir Keir Starmer urged the whole country to unite in the face of Mr Trump’s threats to invade Greenland and slap tariffs on the UK and other European allies.
The Prime Minister said the dispute over Greenland, which Mr Trump wants to take over because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral wealth, should be resolved through “calm discussion between allies” rather than military action or a trade war.
He also signalled Britain would not engage in a trade war with the Americans and impose retaliatory tariffs, insisting this was “not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance”.
The US president said he would charge the UK a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increasing to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark.
Mr Trump said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland – all of whom are members of Nato.
He has not ruled out military action to achieve his aim of taking the territory, which is a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
