By instantly declaring a deal on Greenland, Trump demolished his case for proudly owning it

[ad_1] In a whiplash-inducing U-turn, U.S. President Donald Trump instantly dropped his insistence on taking management of Greenland, mere hours after laying out at nice size his rationale for possession of the Arctic island.

For weeks, Trump caught firmly to a take-it-or-leave-it place on Greenland, insisting that nothing in need of the U.S. proudly owning the Danish territory would tackle his nationwide safety considerations.

On Wednesday, Trump made an in depth case for U.S. management of the island throughout an hour-plus speech on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland.

Then, barely 4 hours after leaving the stage, Trump demolished any shred of validity to his claims.

The president posted on social media that he “had fashioned the framework of a future cope with respect to Greenland and, in reality, the complete Arctic Area” on account of a gathering with NATO Secretary Common Mark Rutte that lasted lower than an hour.

Who says Rome wasn’t in-built a day?

WATCH | Key moments in Trump's speech to the World Financial Discussion board in Davos: Trump says U.S wants management of 'undefended' Greenland — however says he will not use pressure

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly turned to the difficulty of Greenland in a prolonged speech on the World Financial Discussion board, saying the 'large, stunning piece of ice' is essential to U.S. nationwide safety. (Excerpts from Jan. 21, 2026, Davos speech) Whereas few specifics have emerged in regards to the “framework,” it’s clear it doesn't embody Denmark handing Greenland over to the U.S.

Trump additionally wrote that he won't impose the tariffs he had beforehand threatened to levy on Denmark and 7 different European NATO allies who backed its refusal to surrender Greenland by sending small contingents of troops to the Arctic island.

'Quite a lot of lies in regards to the Arctic' Trump’s capitulation on U.S. possession adopted his declaration throughout the Davos speech that he won't use navy pressure to take management of Greenland.

Anders Vistisen, a Danish member of the European Parliament, says after ruling out navy motion, Trump’s remaining arguments for U.S. management had been uncovered as weak.

“All that’s left is fake rhetoric and principally loads of lies in regards to the Arctic space and Greenland,” Vistisen advised CBC Information Community in an interview after Trump’s speech, however earlier than his social media put up.

Vistisen stated Trump “couldn't ship on why he ought to have Greenland and what he wants it for.”

WATCH | Why Trump backed down on his Greenland calls for: Trump at Davos: The CBC's Andrew Nichols talks with former Canadian ambassador Henri-Paul Normandin

The American president Trump Denmark 'ungrateful' — however says he 'will not use pressure' to accumulate Greenland. He additionally had some phrases for Canada whereas on the World Financial Discussion board. Get the most recent on CBCNews.ca, the CBC Information App, and CBC Information Community for breaking information and evaluation. Henri-Paul Normandin, a former Canadian diplomat, says Trump will need to have realized Europe’s resolve in opposing his ambitions for Greenland and was left searching for a method to declare some form of victory.

“Basically he's backing off to some extent as a result of Europe is reacting so strongly,” Normandin advised CBC Information Community.

Normandin says Europe has till not too long ago been attempting a method of appeasement with Trump.

“If you cope with a bully, whether or not it’s within the schoolyard or the worldwide area, in case you’re bowing to his calls for he'll simply go for extra,” he stated.

“This time round, Europe is saying, ‘Whoa, you’re about to cross a purple line, that of sovereignty and territorial integrity.'"

WATCH | 'Canada will get loads of freebies from us,' Trump says after Carney speech: Trump in Davos: Canada 'must be grateful to us'

U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech in Davos, Switzerland, saying 'Canada lives due to the USA' and Canadians must be grateful. Alan Leventhal, a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, says the U.S. has official nationwide safety considerations associated to Greenland, however all of them may be addressed by a long-standing navy co-operation treaty.

“It offers us [Americans] the precise to construct many extra bases throughout Greenland,” Leventhal advised CBC Information Community on Wednesday.

“What I don’t perceive is that this complete notion that now we have to personal Greenland when it comes to getting the safety preparations we wish,” Leventhal stated.

Speech suffering from contradictions A list of grievances about NATO appeared to underpin a lot of Trump’s calls for for management of Greenland.

"The US is handled very unfairly by NATO,” Trump stated.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Donald Trump stands while Borge Brende sits. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/ac0da127-0a36-4ec2-a440-cb805061b7e4,1769033993885/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C232%2C5667%2C3391%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/ac0da127-0a36-4ec2-a440-cb805061b7e4,1769033993885/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C232%2C5667%2C3391%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/ac0da127-0a36-4ec2-a440-cb805061b7e4,1769033993885/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C232%2C5667%2C3391%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/ac0da127-0a36-4ec2-a440-cb805061b7e4,1769033993885/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C232%2C5667%2C3391%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.671188439988204" data-cy="image-img"/> After his speech in Davos, Trump took questions from World Financial Discussion board president Borge Brende. (Evan Vucci/The Related Press) He stated earlier administrations had spent “trillions and trillions of {dollars} on NATO and gotten completely nothing in return. We have by no means requested for something.”

But NATO’s collective defence provision – a clause that treats an assault in opposition to one member as an assault in opposition to all — has solely been invoked as soon as within the alliance’s 75-year historical past: after the al-Qaeda assaults of Sept. 11, 2001, in opposition to the U.S.

Denmark, the U.Ok. and Canada had been among the many many NATO members who contributed troops to the following struggle in Afghanistan.

Trump’s speech was suffering from such contradictions, revealing a few of the holes in his arguments even earlier than he caved on his push for possession.

He minimized the importance of his demand for Greenland as "a really small ask" for a territory he dismissed as "a bit of ice," but maximized the significance of proudly owning the Arctic island for U.S. nationwide safety.

He described Russia as a menace to Greenland, regardless of scant proof that’s true, whereas downplaying the Russian menace to Europe, regardless of Vladimir Putin’s precise invasion of Ukraine.

And whereas he backed down from utilizing navy pressure to grab Greenland, he continued to threaten financial pressure to get his approach.

WATCH | Trump's veiled menace to Denmark over management of Greenland: 'We'll keep in mind,' says Trump, if Denmark would not give Greenland to U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump advised the World Financial Discussion board he 'will not use pressure' to accumulate Greenland from Denmark, calling for 'instant negotiations' to make it occur. 'They've a alternative. You possibly can say sure, and we shall be very appreciative, or you possibly can say no and we are going to keep in mind.' There was additionally the veiled menace contained in what was arguably probably the most ominous line in Trump’s speech.

"You possibly can say sure and we shall be very appreciative, or you possibly can say no, and we are going to keep in mind," Trump stated.

Later Wednesday, a reporter requested Trump what he meant, and what the implications of claiming no can be.

"You will need to determine that out for your self," Trump responded.

That alternate occurred mere moments earlier than Trump went into his assembly with the NATO secretary basic that triggered his announcement of a deal.