At the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Trump called for the U.S. to acquire “right, title and ownership” of Greenland, emphasizing that he would not use military force to achieve it.
Trump urged NATO not to block his expansionist aims, framing the request for Greenland as minor compared to U.S. longstanding support for the alliance, and warned that refusal would not be forgotten.
What they’re saying: He advocated for immediate negotiations with Denmark to transfer control of Greenland, repeatedly labeling it as North American territory belonging to the U.S.
- Trump threatened steep U.S. tariffs on Denmark and other European allies if they refused to negotiate Greenland’s transfer, with rates beginning at 10% next month and rising to 25% in June.
- European leaders, including Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, condemned Trump’s approach, emphasizing principles and criticizing “the law of the strongest.”
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned of a united and proportional EU response to threatened tariffs, highlighting risks to a recently established U.S.-EU trade deal.
Go deeper: Trump’s focus on Greenland overshadowed his planned agenda to address rising housing costs, despite public concern that his policies have worsened the cost of living in the U.S.
- He suggested that measures to lower home prices could hurt property owners by eroding home equity, showing little support for housing affordability initiatives.
