U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods imported from eight European countries starting February 1, warning that the rate could rise to 25% from June 1 if no agreement is reached.
The move came in response to several European countries — including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland — announcing the deployment of troops to Greenland to participate in Denmark's Arctic Endurance military exercise on the island.
Commenting on the escalation, renowned Japanese-American political scientist Francis Fukuyama urged Europe not to yield to Trump's pressure. He noted that countries which stood up to Trump's threats in 2025 — including Brazil, India, and China — ultimately fared well. In China's case, he said, Beijing even forced Washington to back down.
"Donald Trump is fundamentally a bully who wants to dominate everyone around him," Fukuyama said. "Trying to placate him with concessions is a fool's errand."
He stressed that Trump does not represent the United States, adding that many Americans are dismayed and angered by his policies — and are likely to vote against him and the Republican Party in the November election.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Li Yuqian (intern)
Video | Liu Xiaodi, Li Yuqian (intern), Huang Yuhan (intern)
Cover Designer | Li Yuqian (intern)
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, Ou Xiaoming, James Campion, Shen He
