United States President Donald Trump has mentioned he would not take over Greenland by power, however he caught firmly to his demand for management over the Danish territory throughout a speech in Davos, Switzerland. He additionally hinted at penalties if his ambitions had been thwarted.
“Individuals thought I would use power, however I don’t have to make use of power,” Trump mentioned on the World Financial Discussion board annual assembly.
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He announced afterwards on his Reality Social platform that he had arrived at a “framework of a future deal” with respect to claiming Greenland, after assembly with NATO Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte.
The main points of that framework stay unknown, however Trump agreed to carry the tariffs he had threatened to slap on European allies beginning February 1.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways from his Davos speech:
‘Would you want me to say a number of phrases on Greenland?’
Trump opened his remarks about Greenland with an try at humour.
“I used to be going to depart it out of the speech, however I feel I might have been reviewed very negatively,” he quipped.
After a prolonged critique of Denmark, which he claimed was too weak to guard Greenland, Trump repeated his key place on the territory.
“We’d like it for strategic nationwide safety and worldwide safety. This monumental, unsecured island is definitely a part of North America. That’s our territory,” he mentioned.
Trump proceeded to claim that no nation aside from the US can safe Greenland, and that it was due to this fact important for European leaders to show the self-governing island over to US management.
“I’m searching for rapid negotiations to as soon as once more to debate the acquisition of Greenland by the US,” Trump mentioned.
He proceeded to explain the NATO alliance as a cash sink for the US, one which failed to supply the nation any advantages.
“We by no means requested for something, and we by no means received something,” Trump mentioned.
The president’s remarks didn’t acknowledge NATO’s help after the assaults on September 11, 2001, when the US invoked the alliance’s collective defence clause and member states despatched navy air defence in response.
Nonetheless, Trump continued to painting NATO as a moot funding, one that will not yield advantages until compelled.
“We most likely received’t get something until I determine to make use of extreme energy and power, the place we might be, frankly, unstoppable. However I received’t try this,” he mentioned.
“That’s most likely the largest assertion I made as a result of folks thought I might use power. I don’t have to make use of power. I don’t wish to use power. I received’t use power.”
Earlier this month, White Home officers mentioned Trump was contemplating “a variety of choices” for buying Greenland, together with navy motion. At Davos, Trump once more issued a warning to Denmark, setting an ultimatum at hand over Greenland.
“We’ve by no means requested for anything. And we might have stored that piece of land, and we didn’t. So that they have a alternative. You possibly can say sure, and we might be very appreciative. Or you possibly can say no, and we are going to keep in mind,” he mentioned.
Hours later, the US president introduced the “framework” for a Greenland deal, although it’s unclear to what extent Denmark or Greenland had enter or what the deal may appear to be.
Rutte later instructed Fox Information that the difficulty of Greenland’s sovereignty didn’t come up of their dialog.
‘You comply with us down, and also you comply with us up’
Talking concerning the US economic system and its world affect, Trump described the US because the driving power of world progress.
“The USA is the financial engine on the planet. And when America booms, the whole world booms. It’s been the historical past,” Trump mentioned.
“When it goes unhealthy, it goes unhealthy,” he added. “You all comply with us down, and also you comply with us up. And we’re at a degree that we’ve by no means – I don’t consider we’ve ever been. I by no means thought we might do it this rapidly.”
Trump, who returned to the White Home for a second time period in 2025, mentioned he had anticipated financial enhancements to take longer.
“My greatest shock is I assumed it will take greater than a 12 months, possibly like a 12 months and one month. Nevertheless it’s occurred in a short time.”
He then turned his consideration to Europe, providing a bleak evaluation of the continent’s trajectory. Trump blamed the continent’s challenges on insurance policies associated to inexperienced power and migration, with out offering proof to help the declare.
“Sure locations in Europe will not be recognisable, frankly, any extra. They’re not recognisable,” Trump mentioned, echoing anti-immigrant rhetoric.
“I wish to see Europe go good, nevertheless it’s not on track.”
Tariffs and the commerce deficit
Defending his prolific use of tariffs and different protectionist commerce insurance policies, Trump credited the measures with chipping away on the US’s commerce deficit and boosting home manufacturing.
“With tariffs, we’ve radically decreased our ballooning commerce deficit, which was the most important in world historical past. We had been shedding greater than $1 trillion each single 12 months, and it was simply wasted. It was going to waste,” Trump mentioned.
“However in a single 12 months, I slashed our month-to-month commerce deficit by a staggering 77 p.c. And all of this with no inflation, one thing everybody mentioned couldn’t be executed,” he added.
Trump additionally pointed to what he described as features in exports, manufacturing and industrial capability as proof of the coverage’s success.
“Through the course of, we’ve made historic commerce offers with companions protecting 40 p.c of all US commerce, a number of the best firms and international locations on the planet. We have now international locations as our companions, too. The European nations, Japan, South Korea, they’re our companions,” he mentioned.
Trump on Venezuela: ‘Going to do fantastically properly’
Talking about Venezuela’s economy and oil sector, Trump mentioned the nation had suffered a pointy decline due to previous insurance policies below socialist leaders like Nicolas Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez.
However he forecast that the South American nation is now poised for a speedy turnaround, pushed partially by cooperation with the US and worldwide power firms.
Trump has taken an lively curiosity in Venezuela’s governance since a January 3 navy operation to abduct Maduro and transport him to the US to face prison fees. He has since confirmed that the US has extracted 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela following Maduro’s ouster.
“Venezuela has been an incredible place for thus a few years, however then they went unhealthy with their insurance policies,” Trump mentioned.
“Twenty years in the past, it was an incredible nation, and now it’s received issues. However we’re serving to them. And people 50 million barrels, we’re going to be splitting up with them, they usually’ll be making more cash than they’ve made in a very long time.”
Trump proceeded to reward the interim authorities of President Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former vp, for cooperating together with his ambitions in Venezuela.
“Venezuela goes to do fantastically properly,” Trump mentioned.
“We recognize all the cooperation we’ve been given. We’ve been given nice cooperation. As soon as the assault ended, the assault ended, they usually mentioned, ‘Let’s make a deal.’ Extra folks ought to try this.”
He went on to foretell a dramatic financial restoration for the oil-rich nation, citing renewed overseas funding and help from main power companies.
“Venezuela goes to make more cash within the subsequent six months than they’ve made within the final 20 years,” he mentioned.
“Each main oil firm is coming in with us. It’s superb. It’s a stupendous factor to see. The management of the nation has been excellent. They’ve been very, very sensible.”
Onto the subject of power
Trump then turned to power coverage, highlighting a shift in his stance on nuclear energy and reiterating his longstanding criticism of renewable power.
“We’re going heavy into nuclear. I used to be not a giant fan as a result of I didn’t like the danger, the hazard, however the progress they’ve made with nuclear is unbelievable, and the protection progress they’ve made is unimaginable,” Trump mentioned.
“We’re very a lot into the world of nuclear power, and we are able to have it now at good costs and really, very secure.”
His statements comply with a information launch from the US Division of Power on Tuesday that introduced Trump could be “unleashing America’s subsequent nuclear renaissance” by increasing infrastructure to create such power.
Trump has additionally grown his private enterprise ties with non-public nuclear energy companies. In December, the Trump Media and Expertise Group, of which Trump is almost all proprietor, introduced a $6bn merger with TAE Applied sciences, a fusion power firm.
Whereas Trump has warmed to nuclear energy, he doubled down on his opposition to inexperienced power initiatives designed to fight local weather change. Calling such efforts the “Inexperienced New Rip-off” – his spin on the “Inexperienced New Deal” – he blamed Europe’s financial wobbles on efforts to embrace renewable know-how.
“There are windmills throughout Europe. There are windmills in every single place, and they’re losers. One factor I’ve observed is that the extra windmills a rustic has, the more cash that nation loses and the more serious that nation is doing,” he instructed his viewers at Davos.
‘Canada must be grateful’
From his podium, Trump additionally responded to Tuesday’s remarks from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The chief of Canada’s Liberal Occasion, Carney had inspired world leaders to organize for a future with out US management and warned that the “nice powers” of the world gave the impression to be abandoning “even the pretence of guidelines and values for the unhindered pursuit of their energy”.
Whereas Carney didn’t explicitly point out Trump, it was clear his remarks had been aimed on the US chief. Trump replied extra instantly throughout his flip on the Davos podium.
“Canada will get a number of freebies from us,” Trump mentioned.
“They need to be grateful. However they’re not. I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. Canada lives due to the US. Do not forget that, Mark, the subsequent time you make your statements.”
Trump says he’s assembly Zelenskyy
Trump additionally spoke concerning the struggle in Ukraine, and his efforts to mediate between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I’m coping with President Putin, and he needs to make a deal,” Trump mentioned.
“I consider I’m coping with President Zelenskyy, and I feel he needs to make a deal. I’m assembly him in the present day. He could be within the viewers proper now.”
A submit on Zelenskyy’s social media account, nevertheless, confirmed the Ukrainian chief at his presidential workplace in Kyiv on Wednesday, holding a gathering on the power scenario following Russian strikes. His workplace confirmed he’s in Ukraine, not at Davos.
Nonetheless, Trump insisted that he would assist navigate Ukraine and Russia to an finish to their struggle, which started practically 4 years in the past in February 2022.
“They’ve received to get that struggle stopped. As a result of too many individuals are dying, needlessly dying. Too many souls are being misplaced. It’s the one cause I’m desirous about doing it. However in doing it, I’m serving to Europe. I’m serving to NATO,” he mentioned.
‘These lovely sun shades’
At one level in his meandering speech, Trump stopped to poke enjoyable at French President Emmanuel Macron, mocking the aviator sun shades he wore to Davos.
“I watched him yesterday with these lovely sun shades. What the hell occurred?” Trump requested.
Macron’s workplace mentioned the selection to put on sun shades throughout his speech, which occurred indoors, was to guard his eyes due to a burst blood vessel.
