U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday spoke for greater than an hour on the 2026 World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland. Whereas his meandering remarks touched on a number of acquainted subjects, together with windmills—a longtime private pet peeve—the state of the U.S. economic system, and his long-running 2020 U.S. presidential election denialism, Trump spoke at size about his need to amass Greenland from Denmark. He additionally strongly criticized NATO and mentioned different members of the Western army alliance have taken benefit of U.S. generosity through the years.
The next is an excerpt from his remarks specializing in Greenland, Denmark, NATO, and U.S. army energy.
In the end, these are issues of nationwide safety, and maybe no present difficulty makes the scenario extra clear than what’s at present happening with Greenland. Would you want me to say a couple of phrases [on] Greenland?
I used to be going to go away it out of the speech, however I assumed, I believe I’d have been reviewed very negatively.
I’ve large respect for each the individuals of Greenland and the individuals of Denmark, large respect. However each NATO ally has an obligation to have the ability to defend their very own territory. And the actual fact is, no nation or a gaggle of countries is in any place to have the ability to safe Greenland apart from the US. We’re an important energy, a lot better than individuals even perceive. I believe they discovered that out two weeks in the past in Venezuela.
We noticed this in World Warfare II, when Denmark fell to Germany after simply six hours of combating and was completely unable to defend both itself or Greenland. So the US was then compelled. We did it. We felt an obligation to do it, to ship our personal forces to carry the Greenland territory—and maintain it we did, at nice value and expense. They didn’t have an opportunity of getting on it, they usually tried. Denmark is aware of that. We actually arrange bases on Greenland for Denmark. We fought for Denmark. We weren’t combating for anybody else. We have been combating to reserve it for Denmark. Massive, lovely piece of ice. It’s arduous to name it land. It’s an enormous piece of ice. However we saved Greenland and efficiently prevented our enemies from gaining a foothold in our hemisphere. So we did it for ourselves additionally.
After which after the battle, which we received, we received it huge—with out us, proper now, you’d all be talking German and little Japanese, maybe.
After the battle, we gave Greenland again to Denmark. How silly have been we to try this? However we did it, however we gave it again. However how ungrateful are they now?
So now, our nation and the world face a lot better dangers than they did ever earlier than, due to missiles, due to nuclear, due to weapons of warfare that I can’t even discuss. Two weeks in the past, they noticed weapons that no one ever heard of. They weren’t in a position to hearth one shot at us. They mentioned, “What occurred?” All the things was discombobulated. They mentioned, “We received them in our sights, press the set off,” and nothing occurred. No anti-aircraft missiles went up. There was one which went up about 30 ft and crashed down proper subsequent to the folks that despatched it. They mentioned, “What the hell is occurring?” These defensive programs have been made by Russia and by China. So that they’re going to return to the drawing boards, I assume.
Greenland is an enormous, nearly solely uninhabited and undeveloped territory, sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the US, Russia, and China. That’s precisely the place it’s, proper smack within the center.
Wasn’t vital, practically, after we gave it again, you understand. After we gave it again, it wasn’t the identical as it’s now. It’s not vital for another motive, you understand. Everybody talks in regards to the minerals. There’s so many [places], there’s no uncommon earth, no such factor as uncommon earth. There’s uncommon processing, however there’s a lot uncommon earth. And this, to get to this uncommon earth, you bought to undergo lots of of ft of ice. That’s not the explanation we’d like it.
We’d like it for strategic nationwide safety and worldwide safety. This huge unsecured island is definitely a part of North America, on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere. That’s our territory. It’s subsequently a core nationwide safety curiosity of the US of America, and actually, it’s been our coverage for lots of of years to stop exterior threats from coming into our hemisphere, and we’ve performed it very efficiently. We’ve by no means been stronger than we at the moment are. That’s why American presidents have sought to buy Greenland for practically two centuries. , for 2 centuries they’ve been making an attempt to do it.
They need to have saved it after World Warfare II, however they’d a unique president. That’s alright—individuals suppose otherwise. Far more crucial now than it was at the moment, nevertheless.
In 2019, Denmark mentioned that they might spend over $200 million to strengthen Greenland’s defenses. However as you understand, they spent lower than 1 % of that quantity, 1 %. There’s no signal of Denmark there. And I say that with nice respect for Denmark, whose individuals I really like, whose leaders are excellent.
It’s the US alone that may shield this big mass of land, this big piece of ice, develop it, and enhance it, and make it in order that it’s good for Europe and protected for Europe and good for us. And that’s the explanation I’m looking for rapid negotiations to as soon as once more focus on the acquisition of Greenland by the US, simply as now we have acquired many different territories all through our historical past, as most of the European nations have, they’ve acquired, there’s nothing incorrect with it. A lot of them, some went in reverse, truly, if you happen to look, some had nice, huge wealth, nice, huge lands everywhere in the world. They went in reverse. They’re caught again after they began. That occurs too, however some develop.
However this may not be a risk to NATO. This might vastly improve the safety of the whole alliance, the NATO alliance. The US is handled very unfairly by NATO. I wish to inform you that, when you concentrate on it, no one can dispute it. We give a lot, and we get so little in return. And I’ve been a critic of NATO for a few years, and but I’ve performed extra to assist NATO than another president, by far, than another individual. You wouldn’t have NATO if I didn’t become involved in my first time period.
The battle with Ukraine is an instance. We’re hundreds of miles away, separated by an enormous ocean. It’s a battle that ought to have by no means began, and it wouldn’t have began if the 2020 U.S. presidential election weren’t rigged. It was a rigged election. Everyone now is aware of that. They came upon. Folks will nonetheless be prosecuted for what they did. It’s in all probability breaking information, however it needs to be. It was a rigged election. Can’t have rigged elections.
You want sturdy borders, sturdy elections, and ideally an excellent press. I all the time say, “Robust borders, sturdy elections—free, honest elections—and a good media.” The media is horrible. It’s very crooked, it’s very biased, horrible, however sometime it’ll straighten out as a result of it’s dropping all credibility. Consider it, after I received in a landslide, an enormous landslide, received all seven swing states, received the favored vote, received all the pieces, and I solely get unfavorable press. That implies that it has no credibility. And in the event that they’re going to get credibility, they’re going to must be honest. So that you want a good press, however you additionally want these different components.
And I inherited a horrible, horrible scenario. In case you take a look at the border was open, the inflation was raging. All the things was dangerous with the US after I got here into workplace, however I additionally inherited a large number with Ukraine and Russia, one thing that will have by no means occurred, and I do know [Russian President Vladimir] Putin very effectively. He and I’d focus on Ukraine. It was the apple of his eye, however he wasn’t going to do something. I mentioned, “Vladimir, you’re not doing it.” He would by no means have performed it. It was horrible, what occurred. I may see it occurring, too. After I left, I may see it occurring.
[Former U.S. President Joe] Biden had given Ukraine and NATO $350 billion, a staggering sum. $350 billion. I got here in, and similar to the southern border, similar to inflation, similar to our economic system, I mentioned, “Wow, this place is in hassle,” which means our nation, all of these items have been uncontrolled, however the border was uncontrolled. We mounted it with the strongest border wherever on the earth.
And I’ve now been engaged on this battle for one yr, throughout which period I settled eight different wars. India-Pakistan. I imply, I settled different wars that have been. Vladimir Putin referred to as me. Armenia-Aberbaijan [Azerbaijan]. He mentioned, “I can’t consider you settled that battle.” They have been happening for 35 years. I settled it sooner or later, and President Putin referred to as me. He mentioned, “, I can’t consider I labored on that one for 10 years, making an attempt to settle, and I couldn’t do it.” I mentioned, “Do me a favor. Concentrate on settling your battle, don’t fear about that one.”
What does the US get out of all this work, all of this cash, apart from dying, destruction, and large quantities of money going to individuals who don’t admire what we do? They don’t admire what we do. I’m speaking about NATO. I’m speaking about Europe. They must work on Ukraine; we don’t. The US could be very far-off. We’ve got an enormous, lovely ocean separating us. We’ve got nothing to do with it.
Till I got here alongside, NATO was solely alleged to pay 2 % of GDP, however they weren’t paying. Many of the nations weren’t paying something. The US was paying for nearly one hundred pc of NATO. And I received that stopped. I mentioned, “That’s not honest.” However then, extra importantly, I received NATO to pay 5 %, and now they have been paying, and now they’re paying. So one thing no one mentioned was doable. They mentioned, “We are going to by no means go up increased than 2 %.” However they went to five %, and now they’re paying the 5. They didn’t pay the two, and now they’re paying the 5, they usually’re stronger for it. They usually have a superb, by the way in which, secretary-general, who’s presumably within the room. Mark [Rutte], are you right here?
Sure, he’s right here. Hiya, Mark.
We by no means requested for something, and we by no means received something. We in all probability received’t get something until I resolve to make use of extreme energy and pressure, the place we might be, frankly, unstoppable. However I received’t do this.
OK? Now everyone seems to be saying, “Oh, good.” That’s in all probability the largest assertion I made as a result of individuals thought I’d use pressure. However I don’t have to make use of pressure. I don’t wish to use pressure. I received’t use pressure.
All the US is asking for is a spot referred to as Greenland, the place we already had it as a trustee however respectfully returned it again to Denmark not way back after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians, and others in World Warfare II. We gave it again to them. We have been a strong pressure then, however we’re way more highly effective pressure now, after I rebuilt the army in my first time period and proceed to take action in the present day. We’ve got a finances of $1.5 trillion.
We’re bringing again battleships. The battleship is 100 occasions extra highly effective than the nice battleships you noticed in World Warfare II, these nice, huge, beautiful ships, the Missouri, the Iowa, the Alabama. As a result of I assumed perhaps we may take them out of mothballs. They mentioned, “No, sir, these ships are 100”—consider that, 100 occasions extra highly effective than these huge, huge, magnificent items of artwork that you just noticed so many occasions in the past, that you just nonetheless see on tv and also you say, “Wow, what a pressure.” 100 occasions—every ship—100 occasions extra highly effective than the large battleships of the previous. In order that was the tip of the mothball story.
So what now we have gotten out of NATO is nothing, besides to guard Europe from the Soviet Union and now Russia. I imply, we’ve helped them for therefore a few years. We’ve by no means gotten something, besides we pay for NATO, and we paid for a few years, till I got here alongside. We paid for, for my part, one hundred pc of NATO as a result of they weren’t paying their payments.
And all we’re asking for is to get Greenland, together with proper, title, and possession, since you want the possession to defend it. You may’t defend it on a lease. No. 1, legally, it’s not defensible that method, completely. And No. 2, psychologically. Who the hell desires to defend a license settlement or a lease, which is a big piece of ice in the course of the ocean, the place, if there’s a battle, a lot of the motion will happen on that piece of ice? Consider it. These missiles will likely be flying proper over the middle of that piece of ice.
All we wish from Denmark for nationwide and worldwide safety and to maintain our very energetic and harmful potential enemies at bay is that this land on which we’re going to construct the best Golden Dome ever constructed. We’re constructing a Golden Dome that’s going to, simply by its very nature, going to be defending Canada. Canada will get quite a lot of freebies from us, by the way in which—they need to be grateful additionally, however they’re not. I watched your prime minister yesterday; he wasn’t so grateful. However they need to be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives due to the US. Keep in mind that, Mark [Carney], the subsequent time you make your statements.
What we did for Israel was wonderful, however that’s nothing in comparison with what now we have deliberate for the US, Canada, and the remainder of the world. We’re gonna construct a dome like no different. We did it. We did it for Israel. And by the way in which, I advised Bibi [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu], “Bibi, cease taking credit score for the dome. That’s our know-how. That’s our stuff.” However they’d quite a lot of braveness, they usually have been good fighters, they usually did an excellent job, and we worn out the Iran nuclear risk like no one can consider. No person’s ever seen something prefer it. That, Venezuela, taking down [Iranian Gen.] Qassem Suleimani, wiping out [Islamic State leader Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi when he tried to reinstitute ISIS. We did so much. I did so much, quite a lot of huge issues, all completely executed. Everybody was completely executed. Anyone advised me that. A army knowledgeable advised me, “Sir, all the pieces you’ve performed has been completely executed.” I mentioned, “I do know.”
So different presidents have spent, whether or not foolishly or not, trillions and trillions of {dollars} on NATO and gotten completely nothing in return. We’ve by no means requested for something. It’s all the time a one-way road. Now they need us to assist them with Ukraine, and let me say, we’re going to. I’m actually serving to, not even them. I wish to see, final week, if you happen to noticed, it was 10,000 troopers, however final month, it was 31,000 troopers died. 31,000. That’s this room occasions—the variety of individuals on this room occasions 30. Consider it. 30,000 troopers died in a single month. The month earlier than was 27,000; the month earlier than that was 28,000; the month earlier than that was 25,000.
It’s a massacre over there, and that’s what I wish to cease. It doesn’t assist the US. However these are souls. These are younger, younger individuals, seem like you. Appear to be a few of you, proper within the entrance row. They go to battle. Their dad and mom are so proud. Oh, there he goes. Comes again two weeks later, they get a name that claims, “Your son’s head’s been blown off.”
I wish to cease, however it’s a horrible battle. The worst since World Warfare II. They hold going they’ll exceed World Warfare II. The numbers are staggering, how many individuals they’ve misplaced. They don’t wish to discuss it. Ukraine and Russia misplaced simply large quantities. And I’m coping with President Putin, and he desires to make a deal, I consider. I’m coping with [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky, and I believe he desires to make a deal. I’m assembly him in the present day. He may be within the viewers proper now. However they received to get that battle stopped as a result of too many individuals are dying, needlessly dying, too many souls are being misplaced. It’s the one motive I’m serious about doing it. However in doing it, I’m serving to Europe. I’m serving to NATO. And till the previous few days, after I advised them about Iceland [Greenland], they liked me.
They referred to as me daddy, proper? The final time. A really good man mentioned, “He’s our daddy, he’s working it.” I used to be, like, working it. I went from working it to being a horrible human being. However now what I’m asking for is a chunk of ice, chilly and poorly situated, that may play an important function in world peace and world safety. It’s a really small ask in comparison with what now we have given them for a lot of, many a long time.
However the issue with NATO is that we’ll be there for them one hundred pc, however I’m undecided that they’d be there for us if we gave them the decision, “Gents, we’re being attacked. We’re underneath assault by such-and-such a nation.”
I do know all of them very effectively. I’m undecided that they’d be there. I do know we’d be there for them. I don’t know that they’d be there for us. With the entire cash we expend, with the entire blood, sweat, and tears, I don’t know that they’d be there for us. They’re not there for us on Iceland [Greenland], that I can inform you. I imply our inventory market took the primary dip yesterday due to Iceland [Greenland]. So Iceland’s [Greenland’s] already value us some huge cash, however that dip is peanuts in comparison with what it’s gone up, and now we have an unbelievable future in that inventory—that inventory market goes to be doubled. We’re going to hit 50,000, and that inventory market goes to double in a comparatively brief time period due to all the pieces that’s occurring.
However it is a good instance, after giving NATO and European nations trillions and trillions of {dollars} in protection. They purchase our weapons. We make the best weapons on the earth, however now we’re going to make them sooner, a lot sooner. You noticed that. I put a cap on the salaries. Then I put no buybacks, no inventory buybacks, no numerous different issues that they have been doing. They have been making $50 million, however it might take them three years to offer you a Patriot missile. I mentioned, “That’s not good.” My chauffeur can do a greater job than that, and he makes barely lower than 50. They make huge salaries. In the event that they’re going to make these huge salaries, they’re going to have to supply so much sooner.
The excellent news is now we have the best tools on the earth. Now we’re going to start out making it so much sooner. They’re going to construct further vegetation. And the entire cash that goes into inventory buybacks goes to enter constructing vegetation. We’re not permitting inventory buybacks by protection firms any longer. They’re going to construct new vegetation to make Tomahawks, Patriots. We’ve got one of the best tools. F-35s, F-47s, the brand new one simply popping out. They are saying it’s probably the most devastating airplane, fighter jet, ever. Who is aware of? They referred to as it 47. If I don’t prefer it, I’m going to take the 47 off. And I’m wondering why they referred to as it 47, we’ll have to consider it. But when I don’t prefer it, I’m going to take that 47 off. Nevertheless it’s alleged to be the stage six. It’s alleged to be the primary stage six airplane. Undetectable, like our B-2 bombers have been undetectable. They flew proper over Iran. They have been undetectable, they usually did their job, they usually received the hell out of there.
So we wish a chunk of ice for world safety, they usually received’t give it. We’ve by no means requested for the rest, and we may have saved that piece of land, and we didn’t. So that they have a alternative. You may say sure, and we will likely be very appreciative, or you possibly can say no, and we are going to keep in mind.
