Greenland, Immigration, NATO: Key Takeaways From Trump’s Briefing Marking One Year Into Second Term

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday used a nearly two-hour White House press briefing marking one year into his second term to attack political rivals, defend his immigration crackdown, renew claims about

NATO and global wars, float alternative tariff tools, and double down on controversial remarks about Greenland, Somalia and protests in Minnesota.

Below are the key takeaways:

1. Opening Remarks On Immigration and Minnesota: Trump began the briefing by attacking Somalia and Somali immigrants, before launching into an extended defence of immigration crackdowns and showing images of migrants accused of crimes. “These are vicious people, many of them murderers,” he said, blaming “open border policies” under Joe Biden. He claimed his administration had done more than any other to end wars, rebuild the military, and secure the border, repeatedly accusing Democrats of shielding criminals.
2. Venezuela and Machado: Trump said he “loves” Venezuela and suggested opposition leader María Corina Machado could be “involved in some way”. “We’re talking to her. I’d love to be able to do that,” he said, noting oil companies were preparing major investments.
3. Federal Job Cuts: Trump said he did not feel bad about firing federal workers during his second term, claiming many found higher-paying private-sector jobs. “They ended up getting paid three times more money,” he said, without offering evidence.
4. Somalia and Somali Immigrants: Trump repeatedly attacked Somalia, calling it “not even a country” and “one of the worst in the world”. He disparaged Somali immigrants and criticised Rep. Ilhan Omar, claiming Somalis were responsible for crime in Minnesota. His remarks included calling some migrants “very low IQ people.”
5. ICE, Minnesota and ‘Paid Protesters’: Defending ICE operations in Minnesota, Trump said agents “are going to make mistakes sometimes”. “They’re dealing with rough people,” he said, adding he felt “terribly” about the death of Renee Good but praised her father as “a tremendous Trump fan”. Trump also claimed protests were driven by “paid agitators,” saying one woman shouting “shame” sounded like “a professional opera singer.”
6. NATO and Greenland Fallout: Trump argued that NATO exists because of him and questioned whether the alliance would defend the US. “Nobody’s done more for NATO than I have,” he said, adding, “I know we’ll come to their rescue, but I really do question whether or not they’ll come to ours.” The remarks came as NATO members pushed back against Trump’s comments on Greenland ahead of his Davos trip.
7. Nobel Prize Claims and Machado: Trump said he should have received the Nobel Peace Prize “for each war” he claimed to have ended, instead of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. “I saved millions and millions of people,” Trump said, incorrectly claiming that “Norway controls the shots” for the award. He praised Machado for giving him her Nobel medal, saying the prize had lost “prestige.”
8. Attacks on Prosecutors: Trump lashed out at prosecutors who charged him in recent years, claiming he had ended what he called “Joe Biden’s weaponization” of government. He referred to former special counsel Jack Smith as “a sick son of a bitch” and called New York Attorney General Letitia James and prosecutors Alvin Bragg and Fani Willis “sick people”. Trump was convicted in the New York hush money case; the federal and Georgia cases were later dismissed.
9. On Greenland – ‘You’ll Find Out’: When asked how far he would go to acquire Greenland, Trump replied, “You’ll find out,” offering no further details.
10. UN and ‘Board of Peace’: Trump said he supports keeping the United Nations but criticised its effectiveness. “I’m a big fan of the UN, but they should have settled every one of the wars that I’ve settled,” he said, when asked if his proposed “Board of Peace” could replace the UN. The proposed body, linked to Trump’s Gaza plan, has drawn skepticism over its lack of clarity and mandate.
11. Tariffs and Supreme Court Warning: Trump warned he would use “something else” to raise revenue if the Supreme Court strikes down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). “I have to use something else. Take a look at the word license. Take a look at other things,” Trump said, adding that current tariffs were “the strongest, the fastest, the easiest”. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the tariffs this term. If struck down, companies could be eligible for hundreds of billions of dollars in refunds.
12. Reporters’ Origins, Off-the-Cuff Remarks: Towards the end of the briefing, Trump repeatedly asked reporters if they were from the countries they were questioning him about. When a reporter asked about Norway, Trump said, “You are from Norway?” and added, “You look like you would be from Norway.” Another reporter asking about Iran said she was Palestinian American.