Trump says he reached Greenland deal ‘framework’ with NATO, backs off Europe tariffs
US President Donald Trump held a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, 2026.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte “have established the framework for a future agreement on Greenland.”
Trump said that as a result of that negotiation, he would no longer impose punitive tariffs on a number of European countries, scheduled to begin on February 1.
In an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen minutes after releasing the statement, Trump described the Greenland framework as a “concept of agreement.”
Read Trump’s full announcement Real Social:
Based on my very productive meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, we have created the framework for a future agreement on Greenland and indeed the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if completed, would be a great solution for the United States and all NATO countries. With this understanding, I will not implement the Tariffs planned to come into force on February 1. Additional discussions are taking place regarding the Golden Dome involving Greenland. More information will be provided as discussions progress. Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and various others will be in charge of negotiations as needed. They will report directly to me. Thank you for your interest in this topic!
Stocks soared immediately after Trump released the update.
Details of the framework agreement were unclear. The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for additional information.
Despite the lack of detail, the announcement marks a striking shift in the ongoing debate over Trump’s persistent efforts to acquire Greenland for the United States.
The Trump administration has moved in recent weeks to purchase the island and even take control of it using the US military; Even though this island is the territory of NATO ally Denmark.
Danish and Greenlandic officials rejected the US, reiterating that Greenland is not for sale. As tensions rise, a number of European NATO countries have increased their military presence in the region.
Over the weekend, Trump responded by threatening to hit those countries with new tariffs, starting at 10% next month and rising to 25% in June.
In his speech at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, early on Wednesday, Trump laid out his claim that the United States should seize Greenland for national security reasons.
However, Trump said he would not use military force to monitor the area. Stocks, which had fallen the day before amid Trump’s escalating aggression against Greenland, immediately rebounded.
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