Trump seeks negotiations for Greenland

 

President Donald Trump delivered wide-ranging remarks Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, saying he was “seeking immediate negotiations” to discuss the acquisition of Greenland but that he would not use force to annex the territory. Trump, whose escalating rhetoric about tariffs and comments about taking control of the territory from NATO ally Denmark overshadowed this year’s meeting before it began, claimed during his speech that Greenland is “actually part of North America” and is therefore “a core national security interest of the United States of America.” The president touted his economic record as well as his use of tariffs as a negotiation tactic with world leaders. During his remarks at the conference, which attracts executives and politicians from around the world, Trump also appeared to erroneously refer to Greenland as its neighbor Iceland four times.

Trump rules out taking Greenland by force, calls for talks over future

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Michael Birnbaum

President Donald Trump speaks during the World Economic Forum annual meeting Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump remained unyielding in his demand that the United States take over Greenland from Denmark in his speech to Davos on Wednesday, but he ruled out taking the territory by force and said that if Washington is turned down in negotiations, “we will remember.”

The joint declarations amounted to a step-down of sorts from a leader who has been so fierce in recent days about his desire to claim Greenland over the objections of Denmark and Greenlanders that some senior European leaders have feared a shooting war could break out between the United States and Europe. Such a development has been nearly unthinkable for generations.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it. We’ve never asked for anything else,” Trump told a gathering of the world’s economic elite in at the World Economic Forum. “They have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no and we will remember.”

Trump made very clear that he is not backing down from his urgent interest in taking Greenland — a desire that has shocked European leaders who have said his drive is reminiscent of the 19th-century empire-building that the United States spent much of the 20th century combating.

But within the context of his bellicose rhetoric in recent days, Trump’s remarks suggested an exit path for discussions about Greenland’s future. Danish leaders have said that giving up sovereignty of Greenland is a red line for them that they cannot accept so long as Greenlanders don’t want it. They have robust backing from fellow European nations.

But Danish leaders have said they welcome increased U.S. investment and security efforts in the Arctic territory, and they have promised to increase their own security investments there.