Trump’s Tariff Threats Over Greenland
Newscast
BBC
4.3 • 6.6K Ratings
🗓️ 18 January 2026
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today we look at President Donald Trump’s plans to impose further tariffs on European countries, including the UK, because of their oppostition to the US taking over Greenland.
As well as the UK, Trump announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. They would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25% - and would last until a deal was reached.
Laura and Paddy are joined by chief politial correspondent Henry Zeffman and The Sun on Sunday’s political editor Kate Ferguson to talk through what it all means, and what it might do to Keir Starmer’s ‘the special relationship’ with Trump.
They also talk about why the news might be a bit awkward for Nigel Farage and his Reform Party.
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The presenters were Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Jem Westgate. The social producer was Sophie Millward. The technical producer was James Piper. The weekend series producer is Chris Flynn. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. Laura, you're here when we didn't expect to be here, but that's good because it's a very busy news day. Yes, it's a magic trick. We weren't lying yesterday. We would never do that when we said I wouldn't be here, but something I was meant to be doing after the programme has now not happened. And that is why I'm here and delighted to be so. Okay. Are you going to tell us what it is or move on? Uh, no. |
| 0:24.4 | No. the programme has now not happened and that is why I'm here and delighted to be so. Okay. |
| 0:21.2 | Are you going to tell us what it is or move on? No. No. So we can edit that out. Leave it in. Leave it in. That's how we make the sausage. It might not be pretty, but it's true. Okay. So it is a massive day to have everyone here. So we've got you, we've got Henry, and we've |
| 0:37.7 | enlisted a mystery political editor who we'll get to in a minute. Donald Trump has threatened |
| 0:42.6 | the UK with tariffs over Greenland. Yes, not just the UK, but other European allies too, |
| 0:48.0 | who had a temerity to send a small number of military personnel to Greenland this week. |
| 0:52.7 | They seem to think that might please the president |
| 0:55.2 | because it would say, look, Europe's taking the security of that part of the world very seriously. |
| 1:00.0 | Donald Trump seems to have had a very different interpretation of what that really meant. |
| 1:04.1 | Which we will discuss on Sunday's newscast. |
| 1:07.0 | Newscast from the BBC. |
| 1:09.3 | Fat boy sliver me in the classroom doing our violin lessons |
| 1:11.9 | I was the tappletail in the class |
| 1:13.5 | Can I have an apology please |
| 1:14.8 | I trust almost nobody |
| 1:16.3 | That daddy has to sometimes do strong language |
| 1:18.9 | Next time in Moscow |
| 1:20.5 | I feel delulu with no salulu |
| 1:22.3 | Take me down to Downey Street |
| 1:23.9 | Let's go have a tour |
| 1:25.7 | Blimey |
| 1:26.5 | Hello it's Laura actually here in the studio It's Paddy in the studio. It's Henry in the studio. In real life. Real life. And our mystery guest, drummole please. Kate Ferguson from the sun on Sunday. Political editor. Don't clear yourself down. Think of all the rivals who wanted that job and you beat it to it. Oh, her rival is... Dispatch. In journalism, good me. |
... |
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