President Donald Trump delivered a forceful message in Davos, telling world leaders that only the United States has the strength and positioning to secure Greenland. He framed the Arctic island as a national security priority rather than a commercial pursuit.
During his speech, he said, “All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,” and added, “Where we’ve already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and others in World War II, we gave it back to them.”
Trump Rejects Using Force
As questions grew over how far he was willing to go, Trump insisted that military action was not an option. He said, “We never asked for anything. And we never got anything. We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that. Okay, now everyone say, ‘oh good.’ That’s probably the biggest statement I made because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
Why Greenland Matters
Greenland governs its own domestic affairs but remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The president said he respects both Greenlanders and Danes while arguing that only the U.S. can ensure the island’s protection.
He stated, “And the fact is, no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States, with a great power much greater than people even understand.”
The White House previously reaffirmed that Trump regards Greenland as a security priority, and officials have not ruled out different options for acquiring it.
A Strategic Crossroads Between Global Powers
Trump described Greenland as vast, underdeveloped, and defenseless despite sitting between the United States, Russia, and China. He denied interest in the island for its rare earths and insisted the motivation is its strategic location.
“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere,” Trump said.
“That’s our territory. It is, therefore, a core national security interest of the United States of America.”
He warned that modern threats elevate the urgency, saying, “Now our country and the world face much greater risks than it did ever before. Because of missiles, because of nuclear, because of weapons, of warfare that I can’t even talk about.”
When asked earlier how far he would go, Trump had answered, “you’ll find out.”
NATO, Pressure, and Tariff Warnings
The president argued that securing Greenland would strengthen NATO, not undermine it. He said,
“This would not be a threat to NATO. This would greatly enhance the security of the entire alliance. The NATO alliance. The United States is treated very unfairly by NATO. I want to tell you that. And when you think about it, nobody can dispute it. We give so much, and we get so little in return. And I’ve been a critic of NATO for many years, and yet I’ve done more to help NATO than any other president by far, than any other person. You wouldn’t have NATO if I didn’t get involved.”
Trump then set a February 1 deadline for European nations to reach an agreement. Goods from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom could face a 10 percent tariff if no deal is made, rising to 25 percent on June 1.
Europe Pushes Back
European leaders at Davos dismissed the tariff threats as coercive. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Greenland is “non-negotiable” and promised “full solidarity” with the territory. She added,
“In politics as in business: a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something.”
A Long History of US Interest
Trump said the idea of acquiring Greenland dates back two centuries, and he argued the U.S. should have held onto it after World War II. He criticized Denmark for failing to meet defense funding promises.
“For two centuries they’ve been trying to do it. They should have kept it after World War II, but they had a different president. That’s all right. People think differently. Much more necessary now than it was at that time. However, in 2019, Denmark said that they would spend over $200 million to strengthen Greenland’s defenses. But as you know, they spent less than 1% of that amount. 1% is no sign of Denmark there,” he said.
Greenland has long been important to U.S. military planning. During the Cold War, the island sat on the shortest missile routes between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Today, Pituffik Space Base remains a critical early-warning radar site.
With rising global competition in the Arctic, Trump insisted the U.S. is now stronger and better positioned than ever to secure the region.
