Donald Trump has ruled out using military force to take Greenland, but his ambition to acquire the Arctic island remains intact, Denmark's foreign minister said. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump announced he and NATO chief Mark Rutte had agreed the framework of a 'future deal' over Greenland, though details remain unclear.
Trump said the proposed solution would be 'a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations'. He also stated he would not impose the 10% tariffs threatened on eight European countries, including the UK, based on this understanding. Additional discussions are being held concerning 'The Golden Dome' as it pertains to Greenland.
Denmark's foreign minister described Trump's statement that he would not use force as 'positive', but noted the challenge remains. The European parliament suspended work on the EU-US trade deal in protest against Trump's tariff threat, with Bernd Lange saying there would be 'no possibility for compromise' until threats over Greenland are over.
During his speech, Trump appeared to confuse Greenland with Iceland, claiming 'Iceland' had caused a drop in stock prices. The White House denied the mix-up. Trump also repeated claims that NATO has treated the US unfairly and questioned whether the alliance would defend the US, despite the invocation of Article 5 after 9/11.
A meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to take place, with Trump saying they are 'reasonably close to a deal on Ukraine'. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will lead negotiations on Greenland, reporting directly to Trump.
