Trump's claim Greenland ‘our territory’ threatens relations with US allies in Europe, NATO

Published : Thursday, 22 January, 2026 at 12:00 AM Count : 326

DAVOS, Jan 21: President Donald Trump insisted he won't use force to acquire Greenland in a speech at the World Economic Forum, where he said that the U.S. is booming but Europe is "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 U.S. was in the best position to control Greenland and derided most of Europe for opposing the idea.

"This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America," Trump said. "That's our territory."

Trump also proclaimed that, "When America booms the whole world booms," and, "You all follow us down and you follow us up."

His arrival in in the Swiss Alps community of Davos was delayed after a minor electrical issue aboard Air Force One had forced a return to Washington to switch aircraft, but it wasn't expected to push back his scheduled keynote speech.

Billionaires and business leaders sought seats inside the forum's Congress Hall, which had a capacity of around 1,000, to hear Trump.

Michael Dell, founder of the eponymous Dell Technologies, weaved through the crowd to get toward the front of the line.

Marc Benioff, the Salesforce chief and a World Economic Forum board member, wiggled his way through the press line to get inside.

Trump touched on Greenland, calling Denmark ungrateful, as well as the U.S. military operation that led to the recent ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Foreign policy, and hemispheric domination by Washington, was expected to be more central on Thursday, when the Republican president is set to discuss the "Board of Peace" he's creating to oversee the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas.

That's according to a White House official who on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that haven't been made public.

Trump will also have around five bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, though further details weren't provided.

There are more than 60 other heads of state attending the forum, and the official said around 30 are expected to join the board - after invites were sent to about 50 countries late last week.

Trump comes to the international forum at Davos on the heels of threatening steep U.S. import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory - a concession the European leaders indicated they are not willing to make.

Trump said the tariffs would start at 10% next month and climb to 25% in June, rates that would be high enough to increase costs and slow growth, potentially hurting Trump's efforts to tamp down the high cost of living. �"AGENCIES