*President Donald Trump said he does not plan to use military force to acquire Greenland, while emphasizing the scale of American power if such action were ever taken. Speaking during remarks connected to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump framed the issue as one of global security rather than territorial ambition.
As NBC News reports, Trump linked the Greenland discussion to NATO spending and U.S. leverage within the alliance. “We never asked for anything, and we never got anything, we probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that,” he said.
Despite those comments, the White House has previously declined to rule out military options related to Greenland. Trump later argued that ownership, rather than leasing arrangements, is essential for defense purposes. “Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?” he said, adding that the U.S. wants Greenland “because you need the ownership to defend it, you can’t defend it on a lease.”
Greenland is a territory under Danish sovereignty, making it part of a NATO member country. NATO’s Article 5 establishes that an armed attack against any member is treated as an attack against every member, though this collective defense provision has been activated only once, in support of the United States after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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In recent weeks, Trump has increased pressure on European nations over Greenland. He previously said he would impose 10% tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries unless progress is made toward a deal, with those tariffs set to take effect Feb. 1.
Trump also connected the dispute to diplomatic tensions with Norway. In a text message sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, later released under Norway’s public disclosure laws, Trump referenced his failure to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America,” he said.
During his public remarks, Trump warned that Europe’s response to his proposal would carry long-term consequences. “We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it. We’ve never asked for anything else, and we could have kept that piece of land, and we didn’t,” he said.
He described the situation as a clear decision for U.S. allies. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember a strong and secure America means a strong NATO, and that’s one reason why I’m working every day to ensure our military is very powerful,” Trump said.
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