U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would not use military force to take over Greenland but reaffirmed his push for U.S. control of the Danish territory, warning that consequences could follow if his ambitions are blocked.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump sought to downplay fears of a military confrontation while making clear that his interest in acquiring Greenland remains firm.
“People thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force,” Trump said. “I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
The remarks offered a partial retreat from earlier rhetoric that alarmed European leaders, even as Trump doubled down on demands for immediate negotiations over the Arctic island.
Trump urged Denmark and Greenland’s authorities to enter talks with Washington, framing the issue as a choice with diplomatic consequences.
“They have a choice,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.”
He did not repeat previous suggestions of trade penalties but implied political and economic pressure could follow if negotiations fail.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and hosts key U.S. military infrastructure, including Thule Air Base, which plays a role in missile detection and Arctic security.
U.S. equities rebounded modestly after Trump’s Davos comments, following the sharpest stock market selloff in three months earlier in the week.
The S&P 500 rose about 1%, with Trump attributing the prior decline partly to investor unease over his statements on Greenland.
Despite aides previewing an economic message, Trump’s hour-long appearance focused heavily on geopolitics, delivering pointed criticism of European governments on climate policy, immigration, and defense spending.
Trump described Denmark as “ungrateful” and minimized the dispute, calling Greenland a “small ask” over a “piece of ice.” He insisted that a U.S. acquisition would pose no threat to NATO, which includes both Denmark and the United States.
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Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen responded cautiously in Copenhagen. “It’s positive that the president says he will not use military means,” Rasmussen said. “But that does not make the problem go away.”
He added that Trump’s ambitions remain clear, underscoring continued diplomatic tensions between the two NATO allies.
Trump argued that Greenland is central to U.S. national security, linking it to his proposed “Golden Dome” missile-defense system and portraying Washington as uniquely capable of securing the territory.
“No nation or group of nations is in a position to secure Greenland other than the United States,” he said, mistakenly referring to Greenland as Iceland multiple times during his speech.
The Arctic region has become increasingly strategic as climate change opens new shipping routes and access to natural resources, prompting heightened interest from the U.S., Russia, and China.
