The United States has asked Denmark and other European nations if they can export eggs as Americans face surging egg prices, the Nordic country’s egg association said on Friday.

The request from the US Department of Agriculture coincides with a raft of new US tariffs on countries, including in Europe, and the threat of more.

Donald Trump has also threatened economic sanctions unless Denmark hands over control of Greenland to the US, and said this week that he thought the US would eventually annex it – despite its status as an autonomous territory of Denmark, a member of the European Union.

US wholesale egg prices are shattering records, due to factors including an outbreak of bird flu.

Trump promised to lower egg prices on his first day in office, but prices increased 59% on a year-on-year basis in February, the first full month of his administration.

A letter reviewed by Reuters showed that a representative of US Department of Agriculture in Europe had sent formal inquiries to egg-producing countries in late February seeking information on their ability and willingness to export eggs to the American market.

“We’re still waiting to get more guidance from Washington on next steps, but do you have an estimate of the number of eggs that could be supplied to the United States (assuming they meet all the import requirements),” a follow-up letter to the Danish Egg Association in early March said.

“Washington is trying to get an estimate of the amount they could feasibly source,” said the letter, received last week.

The Danish Egg Association said it would look into it but that there was no surplus of eggs in Europe.

“There is a shortage of eggs everywhere on a global scale because consumption is increasing and many are affected by bird flu,” it added.

A spokesperson said the association had requested more details on the conditions of such an agreement, highlighting that egg exports to the US were challenging due to regulations related to hygiene and other factors.

Turkey said in February it had started exporting about 15,000 tonnes of eggs to the US.

The US agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, last month announced the plan to seek imported eggs as part of a $1bn effort to combat bird flu.

Reuters contributed reporting