U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his push to acquire Greenland, criticizing Denmark and arguing that only the United States can secure the strategically located Arctic territory, remarks that further strained already fraying ties with European allies.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, Trump said Greenland is “sitting undefended in a key strategic location” and insisted that no nation other than the United States is capable of securing it. He said the U.S. is seeking immediate negotiations with Denmark to discuss acquiring the territory, framing the move as essential for national security.
Trump said the United States had previously established military bases on Greenland on Denmark’s behalf and fought for Denmark during World War II, adding that Greenland was later returned. He described Denmark as “ungrateful now,” while also saying he has “tremendous respect” for both Greenland and Denmark.
The president argued that acquiring Greenland would not threaten NATO but would instead strengthen the alliance’s security. He repeated his long-standing criticism that the United States contributes heavily to NATO while receiving too little in return.
NATO leaders have warned that Trump’s Greenland strategy could upend the alliance, though Denmark and Greenland have offered a range of options to expand the U.S. presence on the island, which has a population of about 57,000.
Trump also used the Davos appearance to criticize Europe more broadly, saying it is “not heading in the right direction,” while insisting he wants both Europe and the United Kingdom to succeed. He blamed left-wing policies for what he described as catastrophically low European energy levels and contrasted that with U.S. economic performance.
“I love Europe and I want to see Europe do great, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” Trump said.
He also criticized China’s environmental policies, saying Beijing builds wind farms while continuing to rely on coal, and said China is “doing just fine.”
A senior White House official said ahead of the trip that Trump planned to focus on his America First economic agenda in his Davos speech, while potentially addressing Greenland and Venezuela. The official said Trump is expected to discuss foreign policy in greater detail on Thursday.
Trump said Tuesday that he would hold meetings in Davos regarding Greenland and expressed optimism that an agreement could eventually be reached, saying such a deal would leave both NATO and the United States “very happy.”
When asked how far he was willing to go to secure Greenland, Trump responded: “You’ll find out.”