Picture Credit : @WhiteHouse/X
United States President Donald Trump has asserted he would not use force to acquire Greenland, marking his clearest statement yet ruling out military action even as he pressed for US control of the Arctic island during an address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” Trump said. “But I won’t do that. Okay. Now everyone says, oh, good.”
Trump said his remarks were aimed at addressing speculation over the possible use of military power. “That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” he said.
Reiterating his demand for control of Greenland, Trump said, “All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.”He later underlined that he envisioned full US ownership of Greenland rather than an expanded agreement.
“All we’re asking for is to get Greenland, including right title and ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it,” Trump said.
“You can’t defend it on a lease.”
Calling for talks with European allies, Trump urged ‘immediate negotiations’ on a potential US acquisition of Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member.
Laying out what he described as the strategic case for the move, Trump said, “It’s the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it’s good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us.”
