Credited from: SCMP
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, US President Donald Trump reiterated his unwavering ambition to acquire Greenland, describing the territory as vital for both national security and the interests of allies in Europe. He stated, "No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the US," reinforcing his view that only the US could effectively safeguard the island's vast resources and strategic location, highlighting his desire for "ownership" of the territory without resorting to military force, although he hinted at consequences if Denmark opposed the move, according to scmp, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia.
In a notable misstep, Trump referred to Greenland as "Iceland" several times during his speech, leading to confusion among attendees and necessitating a response from the White House, which defended Trump's comments as intentional and consistent with his messaging. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "No he didn’t," in response to media reports regarding the mix-up, arguing that his remarks were consistent with deeming Greenland a "piece of ice," according to scmp and Channel News Asia.
Trump announced the establishment of a "framework" for future negotiations regarding Greenland and lifted threats of tariffs against European nations that had previously opposed US interests in the island. He asserted that the US was "helping NATO," but concurrently criticized member nations for inadequate support, insisting that the US bore a disproportionate share of the alliance's financial burdens. He articulated a desire for NATO members to contribute more towards the collective defense efforts, stating, "The US is treated very unfairly by NATO," according to scmp, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia.
Moreover, Trump used his platform to critique European economic policies, particularly the implementation of green energy initiatives, which he linked to declining economic fortunes across the continent. He remarked that as European countries adopted renewable energy sources like windmills, their economic performance suffered, citing, "One thing I’ve noticed is that the more windmills a country has, the more money that country loses," indicating a negative correlation he perceives between environmentally friendly policies and economic success, as reported by Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, and scmp.