It's all about Trump first

@TexChik When you say Greenland has no infrastructure, I assume you mean it does not have a Trump themed golf course resort?

Greenland has been associated with Norway or Denmark since 984 CE. It facilitated the arrival of the first Europeans to north America. Today it is one of the most socially democratic natiins in the world, with universal healthcare and education, and 67% of its electricity generated by hydro. There has been a permsnent settlement there since the 17th century, before some of the American colonies were even founded.

Rather better infrastructure than most of the USA.

@SunshineGirl All you can do is assume. And yet, aside from making verbal claims, Denmark has not taken any legal steps to assert sovereignty over Greenland. But you Brit twits know everything because CNN has told you so.

@TexChik Denmark's constitution, revised in 1953, ended Greenland's status as a colony and integrated it fully into the kingdom of Denmark. What more do you think it could do to "claim it as a territory"?

@SunshineGirl And yet have done nothing but pay lip service to it. Greenland can vote to become independent from the nothing Denmark does for them and accept the something Trump is offering and a free country. The EU bowed up and sent a bus full of military over there to show the US who is boss. Now those opposing countries have a nice tariff bump to deal with, which increases in 3 months. Genius move.

@TexChik Do you really have any conviction in what you say? Seven of the countries he has threatened with tariffs are members if the European Union. He cannot place tariffs on them without placing tariffs on the other twenty members of the EU, with whom he suppisedly "did a deal" last year. His word evidently counts for nothing and China has shown how to deal with his tariff threats.

@SunshineGirl Apparently, he can because he just did. China is no different than any other country. Their economy is linked to the US, and when they had 110% tariffs they could not sell their goods, cargo ships sat full in port and the shops shut down and the people were getting upset, then China renegotiated and the tariffs were lowered. But you go with the China method.

Now they can't sneak oil out of Venezuela or Iran either.

@TexChik That is not correct. Greenland has been inhabited by Inuit and Danes in a self-governing way for a long time and don't want anyone interfering with them; but the fact remains Trump - not Government or Congress necessarily as they appear to have no control over him - wants Greenland on specious grounds and is now trying to bully your nation's allies into giving it to him.

The notion that Russia and China might want the land for their own ends is no excuse for any other country wanting it for its - not Greenland's - supposed benefit. That just makes three wanting it and to hell with the residents.

Greenland's immediate neighbour is not even the USA but Canada, and the Canadians are not behaving like that. I can imagine Trump's reaction if Canada decided it would take over Alaska. Or if Russia demands Alaska back, oil and all.

The cliques who rule Russia and China must be really pleased with their White House pal trying to drive a wedge between the USA and its real friends.

@TexChik And in other news, the EU has imposed tariffs on Texas, Florida, Alaska and Alabama . .

@ArishMell Canadians are China-kissing socialists. The US has tried to buy it before, like the Virgin Islands. Now, Trump can add economic pressure and maybe even get the US out of NATO altogether.

@SunshineGirl No more fish&chips or BBC! Oh dear. 4 and a half UKs could fit inside Texas...I don't think its going to affect us much

@SunshineGirl On which goods or services, for what purpose, though?

That seems an odd choice: I'd have thought it far more likely the EU would impose tariffs on all the United States, or none. Not specific ones, though of course a blanket tax may reduce exports from states who are the only suppliers - and put up the prices in the importing countries.

Tariffs are not imposed on countries in those countries, of course, but on imports from them; and paid by the eventual customers in the importing country.

I know politicians and some journalists keep saying "... imposed on [country name]" but I wish they would not do so.

@TexChik The UK is not part of the EU. That is the one bit he did manage to get right . .

@SunshineGirl Doesnt matter