‘It’s Our Territory’: Trump Shocks Davos With Greenland Claim And ‘Golden Dome’ Strategy | World News

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump used the global stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos to once again place Greenland at the center of his foreign and security agenda, presenting the Arctic region as a decisive factor in global stability, NATO security and future defense planning.

In his speech at the meeting, he reiterated his determination to take Greenland and said that this was a strategic necessity rather than a regional ambition. “What I want is a cold, poorly positioned piece of ice that could play a vital role in world peace,” he said.

He claimed that Greenland’s geographic location made it central to Arctic and global security, claiming that the region was “almost completely defenseless” and suggesting that “no country other than the United States could secure Greenland.”

Trump went further, declaring that Greenland was “part of North America and this is our territory.”

While he called for talks on the future of Greenland, he rejected military intervention, repeating a phrase he has often used in the past. “We won’t achieve anything unless I decide to use excessive force,” he said, adding: “But I won’t do that; that was the biggest statement I ever made.”

President, Denmark’s II. He revisited history to bolster his case, recalling its collapse during World War II and the subsequent American military presence in Greenland. “We fought to save Denmark. We set up bases in Greenland, and after World War II we gave Greenland back,” he said, adding, “How stupid we were to give it back. How ungrateful they are now.”

Although he expressed “tremendous respect” for the people of Greenland and Denmark, he criticized Copenhagen’s defensive stance and pointed to what he described as an unfulfilled 2019 commitment to strengthen Greenland’s security.

Trump rejected claims that Washington’s interest stemmed from mineral wealth, saying, “There is no such thing as rare earths; there is rare processing. We don’t need Greenland for rare earths. We need it for international security.”

He also turned his focus to NATO, reiterating US participation in the alliance and questioning whether this commitment was fully mutual. “We will be 100 percent on NATO’s side, but I’m not sure they will be on our side either,” he said.

He claimed that the United States had long shouldered the alliance’s defense burden and that the allies only increased their military spending after pressure from his own administration. “What we got from NATO is nothing more than protecting Europe from the Soviet Union and Russia,” he said.

Calling on Europe to take more responsibility for its own defense, Trump criticized Europe’s energy policies as “terrible” and emphasized that the USA “gives great importance to the people of Europe”, citing his family roots in Scotland and Germany.

He said the US’s defense budget now stands at $1.5 trillion and shared ambitious plans to modernize military capabilities, including the return of warships that he said would be “100 times more powerful than the large warships of the past.” He also announced plans for the “largest ever Golden Dome” missile defense system to be built in Greenland, saying it was essential for Arctic security and territorial protection.

“The Golden Dome in Greenland will also protect Canada,” he said, adding that Ottawa “should be more grateful.”

Regarding Ukraine, he repeated his claim that the war would not have started if the 2020 US elections had not been “rigged”. He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “great man” and said he was the “apple of his eye” for Ukraine. Trump claimed the United States spent $350 billion on Ukraine and argued that Washington should avoid being dragged into distant conflicts.

“We are thousands of kilometers away from Ukraine. We have nothing to do with it,” he said.

Trump reiterated that he would not use force to pursue Greenland, although force was emphasized as leverage. He said again, “We won’t achieve anything unless I decide to use excessive force. But I won’t do that. That’s the biggest statement I’ve made.”

Hours after his Davos speech, Trump made a tactical change and announced that he would withdraw his threat to impose tariffs on European countries over Greenland. The decision followed what he described as a “very productive” meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, which laid the foundations for a framework for Greenland and the wider Arctic region.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Based on a very productive meeting I had with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, we have established the framework for a future agreement on Greenland and indeed the entire Arctic. This solution, if completed, will be a great solution for the United States and all NATO countries. Based on this understanding, I will not be implementing the Tariffs that are scheduled to go into effect on February 1.”

He added that further discussions would take place “concerning the golden dome”, adding that the issue “pertains to Greenland”. Trump said Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and other senior officials will lead the negotiations and report directly to him.

In a separate post, Trump reiterated that Greenland is “vital to the Golden Dome we’re building” and essential to U.S. national security.

Earlier at the 56th Annual WEF Summit, Trump had called for “immediate negotiations” with European allies, insisting that US control of Greenland “will not pose a threat to NATO”.

He argued that Greenland could be better developed and secured under American leadership and provide benefits to both the United States and Europe. “It’s only the United States that can protect, develop, rehabilitate this giant landmass, this giant piece of ice, and do it in a way that’s good for Europe, safe for Europe, and good for us,” he said.

Trump acknowledged that he had previously warned that if negotiations failed, tariffs would be increased by 10 percent starting February 1, 2026, and 25 percent starting June 1, 2026. He insisted that US control of Greenland would “greatly enhance” NATO’s security and reiterated that the US had been “treated very unfairly by NATO”.

“This will not be a threat to NATO. This will greatly increase the security of the entire alliance,” he said.

Trump is determined to pursue Greenland, citing national security as the driving force. Danish, Greenlandic and European leaders rejected the idea, underlining the right to self-determination and warning of possible consequences for NATO unity. Some European leaders have warned that any attempt by Washington to seize Greenland could put serious pressure on the alliance as negotiations enter a new and uncertain phase.