Donald Trump used his speech at the World Economic Forum to ridicule Europe and make the United States’ stance on Greenland crystal clear.
Speaking at the podium, Trump insisted that Europe and NATO must take a stand on the U.S.’s desire to acquire the Denmark-owned island.
“We want a piece of ice…”
Donald Trump’s trip to Davos got off to a rocky start — his plane had to turn back shortly after takeoff due to what the crew called “a minor electrical issue,” delaying his arrival in Switzerland.
But once he took the stage at the World Economic Forum, Trump seemed to find his rhythm quickly, delivering a speech that lasted a full 70 minutes, according to NBC News.
One topic that was clearly front and center was the Greenland dispute, which has stirred strong reactions on both sides of the Atlantic — and Trump addressed it head-on:
“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they [Denmark] won’t give it. We’ve never asked for anything else. We could have kept that piece of land and we didn’t,” Trump said.
He made Europe’s choice starkly clear: “They have a choice – you can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember. A strong and secure America means a strong NATO, and that’s one reason why I’m working every day to ensure our military is very powerful.”
Confused Iceland with Greenland
In an unusual turn, Trump also recalled that European leaders used to call him “Daddy” before recent criticism. “They called me ‘daddy’ right last time, [a] very smart man said he’s our daddy. He’s running it. I was like running it. I went from running it to being a terrible human being. But now what I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection,” he added.
During the speech, Trump appeared to confuse Iceland with Greenland, according to NBC News. The president said: “I’m helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me.”
Trump also slammed European countries over immigration and NATO spending.
“The situation in Minnesota reminds us that the West cannot mass import foreign cultures, which are failed to ever build a successful society of their own,” he said, referring to a federal benefits fraud scandal. He also expressed doubt about NATO’s loyalty: “We’ll be there for them 100%, but I’m not sure that they be there for us.”
“Low IQ people”
Trump once again targeted Somalia and Somali immigrants, claiming that Western nations cannot “mass import foreign cultures.”
“The situation in Minnesota reminds us that the West cannot mass import foreign cultures, which are failed to ever build a successful society of their own,” he said, referencing a federal benefits fraud case in the state.
He went on to disparage people of Somali descent as “low IQ people” and “pirates,” continuing a streak of recent comments criticizing Somalia and migrants from the country.
He also addressed Canada, emphasizing U.S. protection: “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us — by the way, they should be grateful also, but they’re not. I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
While clarifying that he does not intend to use force to acquire Greenland, Trump warned that the U.S. would be “unstoppable” if it did.
“We never asked for anything, and we never got anything, we probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that. Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?” he said.
Trump’s remarks underscored his firm view that Greenland’s ownership is crucial for defense: “The U.S. wants ownership of Greenland because you need the ownership to defend it, you can’t defend it on a lease.”
