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Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, January 21, Trump described Greenland as a strategic necessity rather than a territorial ambition.
“What I am asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace,” Trump said. “It’s a small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”
Greenland, Denmark and strategic security
Trump said Greenland remains “almost completely undefended” despite its vast size and strategic location between the US, Russia and China.
“No country can secure Greenland other than the US,” he said, adding that Greenland is “part of North America — that’s our territory”.
He recalled that Denmark fell to Germany during World War II, forcing the US to step in and establish military bases in Greenland.
“We fought to save Denmark. We set up bases in Greenland, and after World War II we gave Greenland back,” Trump said. “How stupid we were to give it back. How ungrateful are they now.”
While expressing “tremendous respect” for the people of Greenland and Denmark, Trump criticised Copenhagen’s defence commitments, pointing to a 2019 pledge to spend $200 million on strengthening Greenland’s defences, which he claimed was largely unfulfilled.
Trump rejected suggestions that the US interest is driven by rare earth minerals. “There is no such thing as rare earth — there is rare processing,” he said. “We don’t need Greenland for rare earth. We need it for international security.”
NATO, defence spending and Europe
Trump reiterated that the US remains committed to the NATO alliance, but questioned whether the commitment is reciprocal.
“We’ll be there for NATO 100%, but I’m not sure if they’ll be there for us,” he said.
He argued that the US has historically borne a disproportionate share of NATO’s defence burden, saying allies were meant to spend 2% of GDP on defence but failed to do so until he intervened. Trump claimed NATO members are now paying significantly more.
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“What we got out of NATO is nothing except protecting Europe from the Soviet Union and Russia,” he said.
Trump said Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security and criticised the continent’s energy policies, calling them “horrible.” He added that the US “cares greatly for the people of Europe,” citing his own ancestry in Scotland and Germany.
‘Golden Dome,’ Canada and military expansion
Trump said the US defence budget now stands at $1.5 trillion and outlined plans to modernise the country's military capabilities, including the return of battleships that are “100 times more powerful than the big battleships of the past."
He also said the US plans to build the “biggest ever Golden Dome” missile defence system in Greenland, arguing that it would enhance Arctic security and also protect Canada.
“The Golden Dome in Greenland will also protect Canada,” Trump said, adding that Canada “should be more grateful."
Ukraine and use of force
Turning to Ukraine, Trump said the war would not have begun had the 2020 US election not been “rigged." He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a great guy” and said Ukraine had been “the apple of his eye.”
Trump claimed the US had spent $350 billion on Ukraine and argued that Washington should not be drawn into conflicts far from its borders.
“We are thousands of miles away from Ukraine,” he said. “We have nothing to do with it.”
Trump said while strength is often necessary to secure outcomes, he would not use force to pursue Greenland.
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“We never get anything unless I decide to use excessive force,” he said. “But I won’t do that — that’s the biggest statement I made.”
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