Trump hits out at Nato and Europe as he doubles down on demands for Greenland: ‘All I want is a piece of ice’
US President Donald Trump doubled down on his demands for Greenland and launched a new attack on NATO and Europe, but he backed down on the use of force.
In an extraordinary speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said he wanted to hold urgent talks to discuss the seizure of Danish territory, but promised he would “not use force” to seize the territory.
The increasingly unstable president attacked NATO, claiming that the United States had “gained nothing” from being part of the alliance and arguing that a U.S. seizure of Greenland was “a very small aspiration” compared to what his country had done for other members.
“What I want from you now is a cold and poorly positioned piece of ice that can play a vital role in world peace and protection of the world,” he said.
Mr. Trump also launched a scathing attack on Europe, claiming it was “unrecognizable” because of immigration, echoing a trope repeated by the European and American far right.
His remarks will further increase tensions between Europe and Washington over Danish territory as NATO leaders try to avert a diplomatic crisis.
Mr Trump’s intervention came after Sir Keir Starmer used his most hostile language yet towards the US president, saying he would be “unyielding” in his stance on Greenland while vowing to stand up to Mr Trump against threats to annex Greenland.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Sir Keir also touched on the US president’s criticism of the UK’s deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, saying the change in attitude, which described the deal as “a great deal of stupidity”, was clearly made to pressure him on the Greenland issue.
In his rambling Davos speech, Mr Trump said the US was the “only country” that could secure the island, which he claimed was essential for US national security purposes.
“Unless I decided to use excessive force and force, frankly, we would be unstoppable. That’s the biggest statement I’ve ever made. I don’t want to use force, I don’t have to use force, I won’t use force,” he said.
“I’m helping Europe, I’m helping NATO,” Mr. Trump said with his efforts to secure the Ukraine peace deal, and called on allies to change their opposition to the U.S. takeover of Greenland.
He continued: “This is a very small ask compared to what we have given them over the decades. But the problem with NATO is that we will be there for them 100 percent, but I’m not sure they will be there for us.”
The US president reiterated his desire to establish a “Golden Dome” of missile defence, a system that Mr Trump has suggested would have its external border in Greenland.
“For the sake of national and international security and to keep our highly energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay, all we want from Denmark is this land on which to build the largest golden dome ever built,” he said.
Targeting Europe for “uncontrolled mass migration”, Trump claimed the continent was importing “completely disparate populations from faraway lands”.
He said: “Frankly, some places in Europe are not even recognized anymore. They are not recognized. And I love Europe and I want to see Europe get better, but things are not going in the right direction.”
“Between migration and energy, if these things don’t change, bad things will happen to them,” he added.
Mr Trump also made a strange comment about being called “dad” while misnaming Greenland.
“I’m helping Europe, I’m helping NATO, and they loved me until the last few days when I told them about Iceland.
“They called me father. A very smart man, he said, ‘He is our father, he rules.’ But what I want now is a piece of ice, in a cold and bad place,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Sir Keir laid out his position on the US president’s comments on Greenland in the strongest possible way, telling MPs at PMQs: “I will not give in, the UK will not compromise our principles and values on the future of Greenland under tariff threats and that is my clear position.”
He also addressed Mr Trump’s criticism of Britain’s Chagos deal, saying they were “different from the previous words of welcome and support he said when I met him at the White House”.
“Yesterday he used these words to pressure me and Britain about my values and principles for the future of Greenland,” Sir Keir said.
“He wants me to give up my position and I’m not going to do that.”
The US president threatened to hit Britain and other European allies with 10 percent tariffs starting February 1 unless they agree to buy Greenland; The prime minister described the threat as “completely false”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, in a rare moment of disagreement with Mr Trump, whom he considers a “friend”, addressed his comments about NATO, saying Britain had “done more than its bit” for the alliance.
Speaking in Davos after Mr Trump’s speech, Farage said: “He said NATO had given us nothing back. I politely dispute this by saying that when the decision was made to go to Afghanistan, we went in with America and the coalition of volunteers.
“We stuck with America for 20 years, we spent the same amount of money as America, we lost the same number of lives as America, and the same thing actually goes for Denmark and other countries.
“So that’s not really fair. Yes, in terms of money, America has provided more. In terms of surveillance equipment and so on, America still provides more, but when it comes to fulfilling our commitments to America, we’ve done more than our fair share in terms of action over the last 20 years.”
