Calls Denmark “ungrateful” for refusing Greenland, claiming US alone can secure the “giant piece of ice”
US President Donald Trump addresses the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland on January 21, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
United States President Donald Trump ruled out using force to take Greenland for the first time as he addressed world leaders in Davos on Wednesday, but demanded “immediate negotiations” to acquire the island from Denmark.
Trump’s quest to take control of Greenland from a NATO ally has deeply shaken the global order and the markets, and it dominated his first address to the World Economic Forum in six years.
In a speech lasting more than an hour in the Swiss ski resort, Trump slammed “ungrateful” Denmark for refusing to give up Greenland, and said the US alone could guarantee the security of the “giant piece of ice”.
But Trump appeared to take the threat of military action off the table, in a dramatic turnaround from his previous threats that the US could use force to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic island.
“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,” Trump said. “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the US is asking for is a place called Greenland.”
In his speech, Trump claimed that only ‘great power’ US could defend Greenland, adding his country was the world’s “economic engine”. He slammed Europe as “not heading in the right direction”, as Washington’s allies push back against its bid to seize Greenland.
“The USA is the economic engine on the planet. And when America booms, the entire world booms. It’s been the history,” he said during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Greenland crisis has dominated talks.
On Europe, the US leader said parts of continent were “not recognisable”, adding: “I love Europe, and I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction.”
He earlier told a news conference that he would hold meetings in Davos regarding the Danish territory and expressed confidence that an agreement could eventually be reached. “I think we will work something out where Nato is going to be very happy and where we’re going to be very happy. But we need it for security purposes. We need it for national security,” Trump said.
NATO leaders have warned that Trump’s strategy on Greenland could destabilise the alliance, even as Denmark and Greenland have proposed expanded US military access to the strategically located Arctic territory, which is home to about 57,000 people.
Read: Trump to meet global CEOs at Davos
Asked how far he was prepared to go to secure Greenland, Trump offered a cryptic response. “You’ll find out,” he said. He has repeatedly framed Greenland as a critical Arctic outpost to counter Russian and Chinese influence, though Moscow has dismissed such claims as exaggerated.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declined to comment directly on tensions surrounding the issue but acknowledged growing strategic competition in the Arctic. “President Trump and other leaders are right. We have to do more there. We have to protect the Arctic against Russian and Chinese influence,” he said during a panel discussion in Davos.
Despite Trump’s assertions, there is limited evidence of significant Chinese or Russian maritime activity near Greenland’s coast. Russia has said claims of a growing threat are being used to “whip up hysteria”.
Sources familiar with the matter have previously told Reuters that Trump’s interest in Greenland is also linked to legacy ambitions, potentially expanding US territory on a scale not seen since Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959.
In an unusual breach of diplomatic protocol, Trump publicly released the text of a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron, who urged him to meet G7 leaders in Paris after Davos.
“I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland,” Macron wrote. France later said it had proposed a Nato military exercise in Greenland, while Denmark declined to comment on reports it may deploy up to 1,000 troops there in 2026.
Wall Street stocks opened higher on Wednesday after Trump’s comments.
Trump flew into Davos by helicopter, stepping onto a red carpet laid in the snow — but he flew into a growing international storm over Greenland. He arrived some two hours behind schedule, after an electrical issue earlier forced Air Force One to turn back to Washington and switch planes.
In a sign of dissent against Trump, the words “No Kings” were dug into the snow overlooking mountain-fringed Davos overnight, referring to a US protest slogan.
Europe and Canada had earlier closed ranks against what they view as a threat to the US-led global order from Trump’s territorial ambitions over semi-autonomous Greenland.
In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday he would not “yield” to pressure from Trump on Greenland. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney won a standing ovation at Davos on Tuesday when he warned of a “rupture” to the US-led system. French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said Europe would not be bullied.
But Trump, who was due to meet a number of leaders in Davos, renewed his attacks on the French president and Canadian premier. He mocked Macron for wearing sunglasses at Davos, which the French president said was because of an eye condition, and said that Carney “wasn’t so grateful” and that Canada “lives because of the US”.
Earlier on Wednesday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that “thoughtful diplomacy” was needed, as Trump’s claims over Greenland provoke an existential crisis for the group. Rutte also pushed back against Trump after the US leader said he doubted NATO would come to the aid of the US if asked. “I tell him, yes they will,” he said.
Trump, however, repeated his doubts on NATO during his speech, saying Washington was treated “so unfairly”.
The Greenland row has also soured relations with the European Union, which has threatened countermeasures after Trump vowed tariffs of up to 25 per cent on eight European countries for backing Denmark.
But Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a Trump ally, told AFP after the “very important” speech: “I think the situation will be calm.” He said he understood the US leader’s stance amid Russian pressure at EU borders.
In a speech that veered from topic to topic, Trump also boasted of his achievements since his return to power a year and a day ago. He last spoke at Davos in his first term in 2020. He unleashed his trademark anti-migrant rhetoric, particularly against Somalis in the US — while hailing the US economy as the “engine” of the world.
The US president also expressed hope of ending the Ukraine war soon, saying he expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos on Thursday.
He said he thought “we’re reasonably close” to a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. “I believe they’re at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done. And if they don’t, they’re stupid,” he said, referring to the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
Trump made these remarks during a question and answer session following his speech.
Economic agenda at Davos
Trump’s official purpose for attending Davos is to highlight what he describes as strong US economic performance. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Wednesday, during which he is expected to announce a housing plan allowing Americans to use funds from their 401(k) retirement accounts for home down payments.
“President Trump will unveil initiatives to drive down housing costs, tout his economic agenda that has propelled the US to lead the world in economic growth,” a White House official said.
While in Davos, Trump is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of Switzerland, Poland and Egypt.
On Thursday, he is set to preside over a ceremony linked to the Board of Peace, an initiative he launched to oversee redevelopment efforts in Gaza amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Trump has suggested the board could take on a wider global role, prompting concern among diplomats over overlap with the United Nations.
Trump said he liked the UN but believed it had “never lived up to its potential”.
Air Force One returns after minor electrical issue detected
Trump’s trip to the WEF was briefly disrupted on Tuesday night after Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews near Washington due to what the White House described as a “minor electrical issue” detected shortly after takeoff.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the aircraft landed safely and the journey would continue on a different plane. No injuries were reported, and officials said the issue posed no immediate threat. While such incidents are rare, they are not unprecedented, with previous flights carrying former presidents and vice presidents having been diverted or affected by technical or weather-related issues.
