Trump cancels threat of tariffs on Europe, essentially a political show of “tariff extortion in exchange for strategic concessions,” full of flaws enough to start a roast 👇

1. “Maximum pressure → stop at the right time” act

• January 17: Threatening harshly—plans to impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, the UK, and others starting February 1, increasing to 25% in June, citing non-cooperation in “buying Greenland.”

• January 21: Immediate flip—after talks with Davos and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, officially announced the cancellation of tariffs, claiming “all desired gains were achieved.”

• Flaws: From “hard purchase of the island” to “defense + mineral agreements,” a 180° turnaround in 4 days, like a drama queen “throwing a tantrum for candy → getting candy and running away,” where’s the promise of “keeping your word”?

2. The “reluctant” and “calculating” reasons for cancellation

1. Europe’s countermeasures are too harsh: EU prepared a €93 billion retaliation list, €21 billion targeting agricultural products (to sway Republican voters), €72 billion hitting Boeing, automotive, and others. Trade war is a “double loss,” American companies and stock markets can’t hold up first.

2. Domestic politics don’t buy it: Only 17% of Americans support “buying the island,” both parties in Congress criticize it for damaging allies’ relations; pushing hard is not worth the loss.

3. NATO’s way out: The agreement framework doesn’t touch sovereignty, replacing US military deployment with “Golden Dome” missile defense, upgrading Tulle Air Force Base, and gaining priority access to rare earth and mineral resources—strategic control secured, face and interests both preserved.

4. Flaws: This isn’t “threatening to cancel,” it’s “trading tariffs for privileges,” treating allies as “bargaining chips,” looking ugly.

3. Various “calculations” and awkward realities

• US: Using threats to gain Arctic military and resource control, stabilizing election prospects and markets, claiming “big win.”

• Europe: Protect sovereignty, avoid tariffs, but further bind itself to the US strategically, promises to “draw red lines” for China and Russia are like empty checks.

• Greenland: 85% of residents oppose US intervention, resistance to the agreement is high, US “actual control” may turn out to be a bubble.

• Flaws: US “wants rights but not land,” Europe “protect land but lose rights,” Greenland “represented,” a “benefit-sharing” among allies, democracy and sovereignty become mere show.

4. Essentially an “hegemonic negotiation” old trick

Trump’s move is a classic “maximum pressure → panic creation → forcing concessions → leverage collection,” treating tariffs as a “hegemonic tool,” exchanging alliance relations for strategic interests, exposing his “America First” unilateral mindset.

5. Roast summary

This “tariff farce” is another example of Trump’s political stunt. On the surface, it’s “threatening to cancel,” but in reality, it’s “interest swapping,” neither solving US-EU trade imbalance nor easing trust crises among allies. All in all, Silicon Valley’s “new toy” burns money, the White House’s “old tricks” burn allies—no one’s better than the other.