• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Politics
Europe

The EU could fire a never-before-used ‘trade bazooka’ to retaliate against Trump tariffs aimed at NATO allies sending troops to Greenland

Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 18, 2026, 10:20 AM ET
President Donald Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 24, 2025.
President Donald Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 24, 2025. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly pushing the European Union to deploy its “anti-coercion instrument” as retaliation against new U.S. tariffs targeting NATO countries.

Recommended Video

In a social media post on Saturday, President Donald Trump said Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be hit with a 10% tariff starting on Feb. 1 that will rise to 25% on June 1, until a “Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

The announcement came after those countries sent troops to Greenland this past week, ostensibly for training purposes, at the request of Denmark.

Macron will ask the EU to activate the anti-coercion instrument, which is the bloc’s most powerful trade weapon and has never been used since it was adopted in 2023, according to the Financial Times.

“He will be in contact throughout the day with his European counterparts and will request, on France’s behalf, the activation of the anti-coercion instrument,” a French official told the FT.

EU officials are due to meet Sunday to discuss how to respond to Trump’s latest tariffs, which come despite a trade deal reached in July.

That set U.S. tariffs on most products at 15% and obligated the EU to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. But European lawmakers have yet to ratify the deal and now say the NATO levies will likely delay or kill it.

Meanwhile, the EU’s anti-coercion instrument has been described as a “trade bazooka” for its scope and severity.

It was designed as a deterrent to protect the EU from “economic coercion” by nonmember states trying to influence certain policy choices. In addition to limiting trade in goods and services, the anti-coercion instrument could also target foreign direct investment and financial markets.

In response to Trump’s new tariffs, such measures could include taxes on U.S. tech companies, restrictions on investments in the EU, or limits on access to the single market.

After Trump threatened the EU with his “reciprocal tariffs” last year, deployment of the anti-coercion instrument came up but was not used.

Another option short of that would be to unleash retaliatory tariffs that the EU prepared last year but put on hold after the U.S. deal was reached, sources told the FT.

The package would hit about $100 billion in U.S. exports. Its six-month suspension is due to expire on Feb. 7 unless the European Commission extends it.

A fresh U.S.-EU trade war blows up hopes for calm on the tariff front after the economy and financial markets were rocked by Trump’s “Liberation Day” shocker and subsequent high-stakes talks last year.

But Trump has refused to back down from taking over Greenland, even keeping military options on the table, while the administration has also left open the possibility of buying the island.

That’s despite estimates that extracting oil and rare earth minerals from Greenland would cost $1 trillion and take decades to yield any returns.

European officials have said sending troops there was meant to show they’re serious about security in the Arctic as Trump claims China and Russia are threatening Greenland, and not to repel a possible U.S. invasion.

Macron defended his country’s troop deployment to Greenland on Saturday, citing France’s commitment to the independence of nations as well as Arctic security.

“No intimidation or threat will influence us—neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations,” he posted on X. “Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed. We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld.”

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Jason Ma
By Jason MaWeekend Editor

Jason Ma is the weekend editor at Fortune, where he covers markets, the economy, finance, and housing.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

t
PoliticsWhite House
Americans on Trump and Iran: 65% disapprove, just like his job (dis)approval
By Linley Sanders, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
5 hours ago
gg
PoliticsElections
‘People are tired of hearing what government can’t do’: Democratic Socialists surge nationwide
By Matt Brown and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
5 hours ago
Trump shows off new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar, and admits ‘a normal president wouldn’t do this’
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump shows off new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar, and admits ‘a normal president wouldn’t do this’
By Seung Min Kim, Manuel Balce Ceneta and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
9 hours ago
Senators are particularly concerned about the $300 billion fund for Iranian reconstruction as Congress asks if war was worth it
PoliticsIran
Senators are particularly concerned about the $300 billion fund for Iranian reconstruction as Congress asks if war was worth it
By Lisa Mascaro and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
9 hours ago
audrey
CommentaryInsurance
Aflac general counsel: Georgia lawmakers took a crucial step forward on sickle cell disease – but there’s more work to be done
By Audrey Boone TillmanJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
Pete Hegseth and Emil Michael walk next to each other.
AIPentagon
The Pentagon claims a 1,775% boost in AI use is paying off the DOGE promise a year later—but adoption is still under 50%
By Sasha RogelbergJune 19, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
3 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
15 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
11 hours ago
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
Success
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.