DAVOS: US President Donald Trump appeared on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and insisted he won’t use force to acquire Greenland.
In his speech at the forum, he said the US was booming but Europe was “not heading in the right direction”. His ambitions to wrest control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark threaten to tear apart relations with many of Washington’s closest allies.
Trump tried to focus on his efforts to tame inflation and spur the economy back home. But his appearance at the gathering of global elites focused more on his gripes with other countries. He said repeatedly that the US was in the best position to control Greenland and derided most of Europe for opposing the idea.
Trump’s third visit as President comes as US allies worry about his ambition to take over Greenland, while Latin America grapples with his efforts to seize Venezuela’s oil.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday called Trump’s planned new tariffs on eight of its countries over Greenland a “mistake”. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU could retaliate by deploying one of its most powerful economic tools, known colloquially as a trade “bazooka”. “We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said in Davos speech. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember,” he said. Trump called for “immediate negotiations” for the US to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
The President also lashed out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the US protection of the Arctic island during World War II and continued to make his case that the US needs to control the island for the sake of national security.
“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory,” he said.