US President Donald Trump said that while the United States has the capability to take control of Greenland, it would not use force to do so, as he invoked World War II to underline Washington’s long-standing
role in defending the strategically vital Arctic territory. Speaking to world leaders and business executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said Greenland’s importance was “much greater than people even understand,” adding that recent global events had reinforced its strategic value. He stressed, however, that the US would not resort to military action to take over the island.
“I think they found that out two weeks ago in Venezuela,” Trump said, without elaborating.
Trump went on to recount events from World War II, when Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940 and was unable to defend either itself or Greenland.
“We saw this in World War II, when Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland,” Trump said, asserting, “So the United States was then compelled.”
He said Washington felt an obligation to act and deployed its own forces to secure Greenland during the war.
“We did it. We felt an obligation to do it, to send our own forces to hold the Greenland territory. And hold it we did at great cost and expense,” he said.
According to Trump, US forces established military bases on the island and successfully prevented hostile powers from gaining access.
“They didn’t have a chance of getting on it and they tried. Denmark knows that,” he said, adding, “We literally set up bases on Greenland for Denmark. We fought for Denmark. We weren’t fighting for anyone else.”
Trump described Greenland in characteristically vivid terms, calling it a “big, beautiful piece of ice.”
“It’s hard to call it land. It’s a big piece of ice,” he said, explaining, “But we saved Greenland and successfully prevented our enemies from gaining a foothold in Africa.”
Claiming “tremendous respect” for the people of Greenland and Denmark, Trump said no “nation or group of nations” other than the US had the capacity to secure the territory.
What Trump Said On NATO
Trump dismissed suggestions that a US takeover of Greenland would undermine NATO, instead using the issue to repeat long-standing grievances about the military alliance.
Trump said the United States was treated “very unfairly” by NATO, arguing that Washington contributes far more than it receives in return. “We give so much and we get so little in return,” he said, claiming the alliance would not exist in its current form without his intervention. “You wouldn’t have NATO if I didn’t get involved,” Trump added, accusing European allies of failing to appreciate US contributions. “They don’t appreciate what we do. I’m talking about NATO and Europe.”
Greenland And World War II
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been part of the Danish realm for centuries and today is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. During World War II, after Denmark was occupied by Germany, the Danish government was unable to exercise effective control over the island.
Amid fears that Greenland’s strategic location could be exploited by Axis powers, the United States assumed responsibility for its defence, establishing military installations and weather stations that supported Allied operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic.
That wartime presence later evolved into a lasting US military footprint, including air bases that played a role during the Cold War. Greenland remains strategically significant today because of its location between North America and Europe and its proximity to Arctic shipping routes and military corridors.
