Trump demands Greenland but suggests he won't use force in Davos speech
Published in Political News
President Donald Trump tripled down on his divisive push to take over Greenland in a bellicose speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Wednesday, fanning the flames of discord that allies fear could lead to the collapse of the Western alliance.
Even as he said he won’t grab Greenland by force, Trump stridently declared that the Arctic island rightfully belongs to the U.S. because it sits in the Western Hemisphere and claimed only the U.S. has the military power to protect it.
“This enormous, unsecured island is actually part of North America. … that’s our territory,” Trump said in a speech that ran for about an hour and 15 minutes. “It’s the United States alone that can protect that great piece of ice,” he added.
Trump claimed that the U.S. saved Greenland from the Nazis during World War II. He suggested that it should have never withdrawn military forces from the Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
In a possible sign of conciliation, Trump seemingly agreed not to militarily attack Greenland even as he bragged about the recent attack on Venezuela that deposed President Nicolas Maduro.
“I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force,” Trump said. “All we’re asking for is a place called Greenland.”
He demanded that Denmark agree to negotiate a deal to sell Greenland, which he appeared to confuse with the nearby nation of Iceland at one point, and warned of unspecified consequences if they don’t fall in line.
“You can say yes and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no and we will remember,” Trump said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one of the top Democrats at Davos, dismissed Trump’s speech as a inconsequential string of lies.
“It was remarkably boring even by his standards,” said Newsom, who is said to be considering a 2028 presidential run. “It had fire and fury, signifying absolutely nothing.”
Brushing off a delayed arrival after Air Force One suffered minor mechanical issues, Trump headed straight to the tony town in the Swiss Alps to deliver the pugnacious speech filled with economic half-truths, brash threats and insults to allies.
Trump has threatened to slap steep tariffs on Denmark and seven other allies unless they cave and agree to hand over Greenland, a concession the European leaders say they won’t make.
Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% and climb to 25% in June, rates that would be high enough to increase costs and slow growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
Europeans say they may respond in kind or scrap a planned trade deal if Trump goes ahead with the new retaliatory tariffs.
Before the Greenland threats cast a shadow over Davos, Trump had planned to mostly focus the speech on economic domestic policy, officials said.
He did repeat a familiar laundry list of supposed accomplishments of his first year back in the White House, including claims he ended inflation and engineered an unprecedented economic boom. He also boasted about his immigration crackdown and sending National Guard troops to American cities.
“I come with truly phenomenal news from America,” Trump started his speech. “People are doing well and they’re very happy with me.”
In fact, Trump is burdened with abysmal approval ratings especially on his handling of the economy, with most polls showing him about 20% under water on the issue.
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