Denmark is boycotting products Made in the USA As a form of protest against Trump’s imperialist stance on Greenland

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly escalated the threat of acquiring Greenland by force, even imposing 10% tariffs on European countries that opposed his plans. The massive island, an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark, had already been coveted by Trump during his first term: the Republican president claims that the United States needs Greenland to strengthen military security in North America and consolidate its strategic supremacy in the Western Hemisphere.

According to his administration, without control of the island the entire Arctic region would remain vulnerable, especially in the face of Russia’s growing military presence. Greenland’s strategic importance is also enhanced by its abundance of raw materials essential for the tech industry. More recently, Trump has partly softened his threats against Greenland and Europe, after reaching an agreement with NATO that should grant the United States sovereignty over some military bases on the island.

What the boycott involves

Trump’s partial retreat on Greenland, however, has not stopped the protests against the U.S. administration and its foreign policy, increasingly seen as aggressive. In several Northern European countries, particularly Denmark, a certain mobilization has developed, resulting in various forms of boycott against U.S.-linked products, services, and businesses.

In Denmark, apps designed to help consumers avoid buying U.S. products have become quite popular. According to Wired, downloads have risen significantly, pushing applications like NonUSA and Made O’Meter to the top of the country’s most downloaded apps charts. These services basically allow users to scan the barcode of a product, and if it is of U.S. origin, the app suggests local or European alternatives.

There are also numerous Facebook groups where users flag products to avoid because they are linked to the United States. One of the most followed is called “Boykot varer fra USA” («Boycott products from the United States») and has over 100,000 members: it was created last year after U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance called Denmark a poor ally, following Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s refusal to cede Greenland to the United States.

Other ongoing forms of boycott

Individual businesses are also taking a stand on the issue. For example, the Salling Group, the largest food retail company in Denmark and operator of the country’s main supermarkets, has decided to add a star to the labels of European products, to make it easier for customers who want to avoid buying U.S. goods.

The movement goes beyond everyday shopping: many Danes are canceling trips to the United States and unsubscribing from U.S. services. Various forms of boycott have also spread in Sweden and Norway, as a protest against the Trump administration and its stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, considered too conciliatory toward Putin’s territorial ambitions. In Sweden and Norway, the most visible boycott targets Tesla, whose Model Y – very popular in both countries – saw a sharp decline in sales over the past year in Scandinavia. A similar trend is observed in other European countries, including France.