Trump says 8 European countries will be charged a 10% tariff for opposing US control of Greenland

[evankeal]

Democracy comes first or nothing does. We don’t swing power just to prove we can; we act for what’s right, and we don’t steal, seize, or “liberate” a damn thing that isn’t ours.

 

[Lesh]

A global leader almost by definition, must be an empire.

You would not be needed if Europe had done their part post Cold War era. They havent. Thus, we need America to not ***** foot around with technicalities and instead acknowledge reality.

Taking territory by force of arms is a breach of international law

Mike drop

 

[shockedcanadian]

Taking territory by force of arms is a breach of international law

Mike drop

You are naive. Europe wants China to win.

F that.

 

[evankeal]

You are naive. Europe wants China to win.

F that.

I would like to write that scenario up as a article if you have proof of the statement.

 

[Lesh]

You are naive. Europe wants China to win.

F that.

Naive your ass

That’s fact

 

[evankeal]

Naive your ass

That’s fact

I guess I am stupid but I got lost in the conversation. Europe wants China to win what and why and are there any sources for the allegation charging Europe with such a possibility?

 

[shockedcanadian]

I would like to write that scenario up as a article if you have proof of the statement.

China has actively sought to cultivate divisions within the EU and between the EU and the U.S., promoting concepts like "EU strategic autonomy" to weaken transatlantic ties. Some EU member states have occasionally prioritized bilateral ties with China for economic gain, which could be interpreted as indirect support for Beijing's global ambitions.

Historical Context and Instances Potentially Supporting the Theory​

The EU's relationship with China has evolved from optimistic engagement in the post-Cold War era—when both the EU and U.S. saw economic integration as a path to mutual benefit—to a more cautious stance today. Early cooperation reflected a belief that trade could encourage China to align with global norms, but some actions could be seen as enabling China's rise at the expense of U.S. influence.

• Support for China's WTO Accession (2001): The EU, alongside the U.S., backed China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), viewing it as an opportunity to integrate China into the global economy. This helped fuel China's rapid economic growth, which has since challenged U.S. economic primacy. European leaders, including those from Germany and France, advocated for this, seeing potential markets for EU exports. Critics argue this indirectly supported China's ascent by providing access to Western technology and markets without sufficient safeguards against unfair practices like subsidies and intellectual property theft.
• 
  
• Early Trade Agreements and Summits (1985–1998): The first major EU-China trade agreement in 1985 focused on economic cooperation, followed by annual EU-China summits starting in 1998. These were established during a period when Europe sought to diversify from U.S.-centric alliances, especially amid transatlantic frictions like the Iraq War (2003). China has used these forums to position the EU as a counterweight to U.S. unilateralism, with Beijing endorsing EU "strategic autonomy" to drive a wedge between Europe and Washington.
• 
  
• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Participation (2013–2023): Several EU countries, including Italy, Greece, and Portugal, joined China's BRI, a massive infrastructure project aimed at expanding Beijing's global influence. Italy's 2019 memorandum of understanding with China was seen as a win for Beijing, potentially fragmenting EU unity and aligning parts of Europe with China's vision of a multipolar world order. Hungary and Serbia (EU candidates) have also deepened ties, with Chinese investments in ports and railways. This has been interpreted as Europe tacitly supporting China's challenge to U.S.-led institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
• 
  
• Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) Negotiations (2020): The EU pushed forward with the CAI despite U.S. objections under the Trump administration, aiming for better market access in China. Though the deal was frozen in 2021 due to EU sanctions over human rights in Xinjiang, its pursuit highlighted Europe's willingness to engage bilaterally with China, even amid U.S.-China tensions.
• 
  
• Recent Diplomatic Engagements (2023–2025): Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2024 visits to France, Serbia, and Hungary emphasized Europe's role as a "major trading partner" and encouraged "strategic autonomy" from the U.S. French President Emmanuel Macron has echoed this, advocating for Europe to avoid being a "vassal" of the U.S. in U.S.-China rivalries. Amid U.S. tariffs under Trump, some EU officials have suggested closer ties with China to counter American protectionism, as seen in 2018 when the EU and China jointly criticized U.S. unilateralism.

None of this even addresses the repeated protection of China during covid, when they demand apologies or stop purchasing products as politicians visit Taiwan etc.

Wake up. You can be a mouse or you can be a Mensch.

 

[Lesh]

I guess I am stupid but I got lost in the conversation. Europe wants China to win what and why and are there any sources for the allegation charging Europe with such a possibility?

It’s Trumper nonsense

 

[Marener]

Nonsense, the Europeans would do exactly nothing. Few actually understand just how weak they are. Nor do they have the production capacity to sustain any major conflict. Couple that with idiotic immigration policies and they are effectively neutered before it would begin. Not to mention Russia would not just sit on the sidelines. A fair deal would be to cede Greenland to us in exchange for continued support until they can effectively stand on their own up to 10 years. They would be on their own after that, so best not squander it.

One thing they’d do is end every single US military lease in Europe. Close Ramstein. Close Aviano. Our ships won’t be able to dock. Our planes can’t fly through their airspace.

The US global reach is a function of US global alliances.

 

[Rogue AI]

One thing they’d do is end every single US military lease in Europe. Close Ramstein. Close Aviano. Our ships won’t be able to dock. Our planes can’t fly through their airspace.

The US global reach is a function of US global alliances.

And then they'd lose the billions of dollars that are spent locally by troops, for certain services, and other things. Meanwhile, that money would be spent here. Win/win.

 

[Marener]

And then they'd lose the billions of dollars that are spent locally by troops, for certain services, and other things. Meanwhile, that money would be spent here. Win/win.

Where’s the win in reducing the strength and capacity of our armed forces?

You’re just desperate for a rationale.

You know Trump is ******* nuts for pushing this. A year ago when he started bringing it up, you guys were all saying he was just trolling and we shouldn’t take the bait. It was so stupid that people were stupid for taking it seriously. Now it’s pretty clear he’s serious and now you’re all so impressed by how brilliant he is.

There’s a non-zero chance he’s doing this just to see how far he can push his supporters before they break. If he can convince MAGA to blow up NATO over Greenland, there isn’t much he can’t convince them of.

 

[evankeal]

Greenlanders are free and were persecuted by the Dutch monarchy.

Maybe they want to be American. What in the hell do you know? You know what BBC, CNN and the anti-Americans tell you?

Let Marco Rubio and JD Vance try and close the deal. If needed, let the Donald fly in and close the deal. This is the future of Western civilization and I'm sorry that you don't appreciate this.

That is ludicrous. Of course they don't.

 

[Rogue AI]

Where’s the win in reducing the strength and capacity of our armed forces?

You’re just desperate for a rationale.

You know Trump is ******* nuts for pushing this. A year ago when he started bringing it up, you guys were all saying he was just trolling and we shouldn’t take the bait. It was so stupid that people were stupid for taking it seriously. Now it’s pretty clear he’s serious and now you’re all so impressed by how brilliant he is.

There’s a non-zero chance he’s doing this just to see how far he can push his supporters before they break. If he can convince MAGA to blow up NATO over Greenland, there isn’t much he can’t convince them of.

There would be no loss of strength or capacity for the vast majority of our forces. If we leave the Eurotrash will have to fill that void. Hint: they lack the equipment, coordination, and funding to fill such a void. Those clowns couldn't handle Kosovo or Libya without us.

 

[IM2]

Naive your ass

That’s fact

ShockedCanadian is an idiot. Trump is putting us in danger. He is working to end the Western Alliance, which is exactly what China wants.

 

[Marener]

There would be no loss of strength or capacity for the vast majority of our forces. If we leave the Eurotrash will have to fill that void. Hint: they lack the equipment, coordination, and funding to fill such a void. Those clowns couldn't handle Kosovo or Libya without us.

Do you understand that the deciding factor in basically every conflict in the last few hundred years has been logistics?

Europe is central to our logistics networks.

 

[Rogue AI]

Do you understand that the deciding factor in basically every conflict in the last few hundred years has been logistics?

Europe is central to our logistics networks.

We'll manage just fine. Even better, we might actually put real thought into what constitutes a threat, and abandon all notions of decades long interventions. Europe offers nothing when it comes to Asia. If we leave, Europe becomes a handy buffer from Russia, without the pesky liability of getting involved. Win/win.

 

[otto105]

Good for Trump. The Danes would sell us out for a bent penny to the Chinese. Best to get this over with peacefully and move on to bigger things.

Hilarious

maga has such simple views.

 

[IM2]

We'll manage just fine. Even better, we might actually put real thought into what constitutes a threat, and abandon all notions of decades long interventions. Europe offers nothing when it comes to Asia. If we leave, Europe becomes a handy buffer from Russia, without the pesky liability of getting involved. Win/win.

You are out of your mind. You don't know just how much this alliance has saved us.

 

[otto105]

You are out of your mind. You don't know just how much this alliance has saved us.

Al is a simpleton.

 

[Rogue AI]

You are out of your mind. You don't know just how much this alliance has saved us.

From what? It has done very little for us.