President Donald Trump used his platform at the World Economic Forum to highlight his pursuit of Greenland, insisting that while he will not use military force to seize the territory, the United States requires “right, title, and ownership” of the island for national security.
In a wide-ranging speech that pivoted between domestic grievances and geopolitical strategy, Trump sought to reassure international allies that an invasion was off the table, even as he framed the acquisition of the Danish territory as an existential necessity for Western defense.
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“I have tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark,” Trump told the audience. “But every NATO Ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory, and the fact is no Nation or a group of Nations is in any position to be able to.”
The President’s remarks come after his initial interest in purchasing the island was rebuffed by Copenhagen, a diplomatic spat that briefly chilled relations between Washington and one of its closest NATO partners. At Davos, Trump framed the potential acquisition not just as a real estate deal, but as a correction of historical oversight.
He argued that the U.S. “saved” Greenland during World War II when Denmark fell to Germany, claiming the U.S. “literally set up bases on Greenland for Denmark” and then “gave it back” after the war.
“How stupid were we to do that?” Trump asked. “But we gave it back. But how ungrateful are they now?”
Strategic Necessity and the “Golden Dome”
Trump dismissed the resource-based arguments often associated with the arctic territory—specifically the presence of rare earth minerals—focusing instead on geography. He described Greenland as “undefended” and sitting in a “key strategic location” between the U.S., Russia, and China.
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To secure this “Northern frontier,” Trump proposed a massive infrastructure project: a defensive “Golden Dome” to be constructed on the island, modeled after missile defense systems.
“It’s the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land,” Trump said. “This giant piece of ice… develop it and improve it and make it so that it’s good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us.”
He was explicit that a lease or treaty would be insufficient. “You need the ownership to defend it,” he asserted. “Legally, it’s not defensible that way… Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement?”
NATO Criticism and Military Expansion
The speech also served as a vehicle for Trump’s long-standing criticisms of European defense spending. Addressing NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte directly, Trump claimed credit for pushing alliance members to increase their contributions, asserting that members are now paying “five percent” of GDP—a figure significantly higher than the alliance’s official 2% target.
“We give so much and we get so little in return,” Trump said, characterizing the European security landscape as “not heading in the right direction.”
He contrasted European reliance on American power with his own administration’s military buildup, citing a $1.5 trillion budget. In a detailed aside, the President mentioned plans to reactivate historic battleships—specifically naming the Missouri, Iowa, and Alabama—claiming that after refitting, they would be “100 times more powerful” than in their World War II prime.
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Domestic Reflections
The address frequently veered back to U.S. domestic politics. Trump reiterated claims regarding the 2020 election and touted his administration’s handling of the southern border. He also touched on the war in Ukraine, arguing that the conflict “would have never started” had he remained in office continuously, and criticized the amount of aid provided to Kyiv compared to European contributions.
Despite the aggressive rhetoric regarding land acquisition and military power, Trump ended the Greenland portion of his remarks with a definitive pledge regarding the use of violence.
“I don’t have to use Force. I don’t want to use Force. I won’t use Force,” he said, before immediately pivoting back to the transactional nature of his request. “All we’re asking for is to get Greenland.”
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