U.S. President Donald Trump on the 21st said at the World Economic Forum (WEF, Davos Forum) in Davos, Switzerland, that Greenland is strategically important for international security more than for the value of its resources.
In a special address at the forum, Trump said, "Greenland is almost undeveloped and uninhabited land, but it is in an important strategic location between Russia and China," adding, "It is not important for other purposes."
He went on, "The rare earths buried in Greenland are no longer important. Refining them is important," and noted, "We consider Greenland important not because of rare earths but because of international security."
He continued, "The island is a key area for national security, and U.S. presidents have worked for about two centuries to purchase Greenland, and the United States should have had Greenland after World War II," criticizing, "Denmark said in 2019 that it would spend $200 million to defend Greenland, but it did not spend even 1%."
Trump also said Denmark cannot protect Greenland. He explained that the United States is the only country that can protect both Greenland and Europe at the same time and the reason he is entering negotiations to acquire Greenland. He added that the U.S. purchase of Greenland would strengthen, not threaten, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
He said, "If I had not been involved, NATO would have disappeared," adding, "The war in Ukraine proves this." He continued, "It was a war that should not have happened in the first place," and added, "It would not have happened if not for the fraudulent 2020 election."
Trump said, "For these reasons, we want to have Greenland. The United States returned Greenland to Denmark after World War II and is now trying to take it back," asking, "Who would want to defend land that is simply leased and for which we only have entitlement?" He also added, "To tie down our dangerous, potential adversaries, we will build a golden dome (the advanced multi-layered missile defense network Trump proposed) there."
However, he said, "People thought I would use force (to obtain Greenland), but there is no need. I do not want to use force, and I will not use it."
He also said, "Greenland is essentially a chunk of ice, and the United States is trying to take it," noting, "That chunk of ice is a very small price compared with what the United States can provide."