“It’s Our Territory”: Trump Shakes Davos with Final Ultimatum on Greenland

Davos, Switzerland – In an 80-minute address that veered from economic triumph to imperial nostalgia, U.S. President Donald Trump dominated the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. The centerpiece of his speech was a renewed and intensified demand for the United States to acquire Greenland—a move he framed as a strategic necessity for the “Golden Dome” missile defense shield. While Trump officially ruled out the use of military force for the first time, he replaced it with a crushing economic ultimatum: immediate negotiations or a devastating trade war.

Addressing a stunned audience of global elites, Trump claimed that Greenland—which he repeatedly referred to as a “piece of ice”—is geographically part of North America and thus rightfully belongs under U.S. ownership. “You can say yes and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember,” Trump warned, signaling a new, more coercive phase in transatlantic relations.

Table of Contents

• The “No-Force” Clause: A Pivot to Economic Pressure
• The Golden Dome: Why Greenland Matters in 2026
• NATO Under Strain: Confusing Iceland for Greenland?
• The Tariff Threat: Holland and the ‘Eight European Losers’
• Historical Grievances: “You’d All Be Speaking German”
• Expert Analysis: Weapon of Mass Distraction
• Key Takeaways
• Dutch Learning Corner
• Community CTA

The “No-Force” Clause: A Pivot to Economic Pressure

The most anticipated moment of the Davos speech was Trump’s formal declaration regarding military action. For weeks, European capitals had braced for a potential “Arctic intervention.” Trump sought to lower the temperature—slightly—by stating, “The military’s not on the table. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

However, this olive branch came with a heavy price tag. Trump demanded “immediate negotiations” with Denmark and the semi-autonomous government in Nuuk. He characterized Denmark’s refusal to sell as “ungrateful,” arguing that the U.S. protects the region at a massive financial loss. By ruling out soldiers but ramping up the rhetoric of “ownership,” Trump is attempting to treat sovereign territory like a commercial real estate deal.

The Golden Dome: Why Greenland Matters in 2026

According to the President, the acquisition is the final piece of his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative. In an age where hypersonic weapons from Russia and China have shortened reaction times to minutes, the Arctic has become the primary theater of global security.

Trump argued that a “licence agreement” or a lease for military bases like Thule is no longer sufficient. “You need ownership to defend it,” he insisted. From a 2026 perspective, the melting ice caps are opening new shipping lanes that China is eager to exploit. Trump’s vision is to turn Greenland into a permanent American fortress, ensuring that the “Northern Frontier” remains exclusively under Western—and specifically U.S.—control.

NATO Under Strain: Confusing Iceland for Greenland?

The speech was not without its characteristic “Trump-isms.” On four separate occasions, the President appeared to confuse Greenland with Iceland, at one point blaming “Iceland” for a recent dip in the U.S. stock market. The White House press office later clarified that he was referring to the trade tensions caused by his Greenland policy.

More concerning for diplomats was his open questioning of NATO’s Article 5. While he praised NATO’s “excellent Secretary General” (Mark Rutte), he repeatedly asked if European allies would truly be there for the U.S. “We are there for them 100%, but I’m not sure they’d be there for us,” Trump said, casting a long shadow over the mutual defense treaty that has anchored Western security for 80 years.

The Tariff Threat: Holland and the ‘Eight European Losers’

For the Netherlands, the most direct hit came in the form of trade threats. Trump took aim at the eight European nations—including the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, and France—that recently deployed troops to the Arctic to reassure Denmark of their support.

The Economic Ultimatum:
* February 1: A 10% import tax will be imposed on all goods from these eight nations.
* June 1: The tariff will skyrocket to 25% if no “deal” for Greenland is reached.

This move has already seen a sharp reaction from the EU. Sources in Brussels suggest that a €93 billion package of countermeasures is ready to be triggered by February 7. The “Turnberry trade deal” struck last summer now hangs by a thread, as Europe ditches appeasement for active retaliation.

Historical Grievances: “You’d All Be Speaking German”

Trump’s rhetoric leaned heavily into a nationalist interpretation of history. He called the 1945 decision to recognize Danish sovereignty over Greenland “foolish” and “stupid,” asserting that because the U.S. won the war, it should have kept the territory.

“After the war, which we won, without us, you’d all be speaking German and a little Japanese,” he told the crowd in German-speaking Davos. He also mocked European green energy policies, calling windmills “losers” and claiming that China only builds them to sell to “stupid people” while they continue to use coal and oil to grow their own economy.

Expert Analysis: Weapon of Mass Distraction

Geopolitical analysts are divided on the President’s true motives. Some, like former NATO officials, see Greenland as a “weapon of mass distraction.” While the world argues over Arctic real estate, Russia’s accelerated attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and China’s continued economic expansion often slip from the front pages.

“The only winners in this game are Putin and Xi Jinping,” one analyst noted. “By tearing at the fabric of NATO over a territorial demand that Denmark will never accept, Trump is effectively isolating the U.S. from its most vital partners at the exact moment they need to be united.”

Key Takeaways

• Negotiation over Force: Trump ruled out military invasion but demanded “immediate” talks.
• The Tariff Deadline: 10% tariffs for the Netherlands and allies start on Feb 1.
• NATO Uncertainty: Trump questioned the reciprocity of the mutual defense clause.
• Arctic Sovereignty: The US claims Greenland is “our territory” due to its Western Hemisphere location.

Dutch Learning Corner

Source / Global Politics: The Guardian, The Washington Post, and WEF Davos 2026 Archive.