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President Donald Trump insisted Wednesday that he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but said he would not use military force to do so — even as he repeatedly derided European allies, warned NATO not to interfere and threatened steep tariffs if Denmark refuses to negotiate.
In an extraordinary address to the World Economic Forum, Trump framed his demand for the semi-autonomous Danish territory as modest, dismissing Greenland as “cold and poorly located” while arguing the United States has long subsidized European security.
“It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades,” Trump said, invoking U.S. sacrifices during World War II and NATO’s Cold War history.
Despite the president’s insistence that he does not intend to use force, the implications of his remarks were sweeping — potentially rupturing one of the world’s most durable alliances and opening a geopolitical standoff over sovereignty, trade and security in the Arctic.
Europe pushes back as sovereignty lines harden
NATO, founded by the U.S., Canada and leading European nations, has remained united in its position that Greenland is not for sale and cannot be taken from Denmark. That stance sets the stage for an escalating confrontation between Washington and its allies.
A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen is open to discussions about U.S. security concerns in the Arctic, but stressed that Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is a non-negotiable “red line.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Trump urged Denmark and NATO more broadly to stand aside, issuing a blunt warning.
“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”
At the same time, he repeatedly insisted he would not deploy the U.S. military.
“I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” Trump said, acknowledging that the United States would be “unstoppable” militarily but claiming restraint. Instead, he called for “immediate negotiations” to transfer Greenland to U.S. control.
“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”
Tariff threats deepen the crisis
Trump’s Greenland push is closely tied to his trade agenda. He said the U.S. would impose new tariffs on Denmark and seven other allied nations if they refuse to negotiate, starting at 10% next month and rising to 25% by June.
The threat rattled European capitals and financial markets, with U.S. stocks rebounding Wednesday after suffering their worst day since October amid investor anxiety over renewed trade conflict.
According to European officials, Trump also linked his aggressive posture to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. In a text message circulated among diplomats, Trump told Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace.”
European leaders pushed back sharply.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during parliamentary questioning that the U.K. would not yield to tariff threats over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron warned against accepting “the law of the strongest,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said any EU response to U.S. tariffs would be “unflinching, united and proportional.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was reassured by Trump’s pledge not to use force but criticized the broader premise of the speech.
“Greenland is part of NATO. Denmark is part of NATO, and we can exercise our sovereignty in Greenland,” Rasmussen said, calling Trump’s approach inconsistent with established international norms.
A contentious reception in Davos
Trump’s presence upended the normally staid Davos gathering even before he arrived. A minor electrical problem aboard Air Force One forced him to return briefly to Washington to switch aircraft, delaying his arrival.
As Trump’s motorcade traveled to the forum site, onlookers — including skiers — lined the narrow road. Some made obscene gestures, and one held a sign cursing the president.
Inside Congress Hall, however, the mood was more restrained. Billionaires, executives and political leaders packed the roughly 1,000-seat venue, leaving standing room only for Trump’s keynote. Attendees listened through headsets offering translations in six languages, and applause was polite but measured.
More than 60 heads of state are attending the forum. After his speech, Trump met with leaders from Poland, Belgium and Egypt, again emphasizing that military action against Greenland was “not on the table.”
“I don’t think it will be necessary,” Trump said. “I think people will use good judgment.”
Housing message eclipsed by Greenland
The White House had billed Trump’s Davos speech as focused on lowering U.S. housing costs — an issue that continues to dog the administration as inflation pressures persist ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Greenland dominated instead.
When Trump eventually addressed housing, he suggested skepticism toward affordability measures, arguing that falling home prices would erode homeowners’ sense of wealth tied to rising property values.
Trump also lashed Denmark as “ungrateful” for U.S. protection of Greenland during World War II and repeatedly mixed up Greenland with Iceland — confusing the two countries at least four times during the speech and once more earlier in the week.
Economists and trade experts warn that Trump’s tariff threats could destabilize the fragile trade truce reached last summer between the U.S. and the European Union if the dispute escalates.
A broader challenge to global institutions
On Thursday, Trump is scheduled to attend an event centered on the newly formed “Board of Peace,” intended to oversee a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The body could eventually take on a wider mandate, potentially rivaling the United Nations — a prospect that has drawn hesitation from European governments.
“You know, the United Nations should be doing this,” Trump said Wednesday. “But they’re not.”
As Trump presses ahead with his Greenland campaign, allies warn that the issue now represents more than a territorial dispute — it is a stress test of NATO, international law and the future of the transatlantic alliance itself.
