Davos live: Trump rules out taking Greenland by force but calls for ‘immediate negotiations’

From 1h agoTrump: I won't use force to take GreenlandOnto Nato, Trump says “we give so much, and we get so little in return.”Trump says the US only gets “death, disruption, and massive amounts of cash [given] to people who don’t appreciate what we do.” – and he’s taking about both Nato and Europe generally.Trump then points out Nato chief Mark Rutte in the audience – who this morning was complimentary about Trump’s pressure to raise military spending among Nato members.Trump then appears to state that he won’t use force to obtain Greenland. We won’t get anything unless I use excessive strength and force, when we would be unstoppable. I won’t use force. Trump then claims that the US has got “nothing out of Nato”, apart from protecting Europe from Russia.[This is, frankly, offensive. Nato’s collective defence pledge, Article 5, has only been activated once, after 9/11].And Trump then repeats his desire to acquire Greenland.Key events28m agoFact check: Trump repeats baseless claim that the US ‘gave back’ Greenland to Denmark32m agoTrump says he wants to build ‘greatest Golden Dome ever built’ over Greenland47m agoTrump: We will remember if you say no over Greenland50m agoTrump: not sure Nato would be there for us1h agoTrump: I won't use force to take Greenland1h agoTrump: Seeking immediate negotiations for purchase of Greenland1h agoTrump: US ‘takes great care’ about the people of Europe, but they are ‘destroying themselves’1h agoTrump: You'd be speaking German and Japanese without us1h agoEurope 'not heading in right direction', Trump says1h agoTrump: Inflation has been defeated2h agoTrump's speech is under way2h agoInside the congress hall2h agoDonald Trump arrives in Davos3h agoDimon: I'd be more polite about Europe criticism3h agoDimon: We're not going to kill our employees tomorrow with AI3h agoTrump / Merz talks at Davos cancelled due to delayed US flight3h agoTrump lands in Zurich4h agoLutnick 'heckled' at WEF dinner4h agoReeves: No reason why UK-US trade deal can't continue to stand4h agoGavin Newsom: I'm in Bessent's head5h agoRutte: Ukraine must be number one priority6h agoAI job losses risk 'revolution'6h agoGold at record high amid Greenland crisis6h agoReeves 'secures £1.5bn investment' at Davos7h agoTrump 'likely to be three hours late'7h agoBessent: French budget is in shambles7h agoBessent: Greenland needs to be a part of the US7h agoBessent: Denmark is irrelevant8h agoBessent: UK letting us down over Diego Garcia8h agoBessent: "Grow, baby, grow"8h agoUK inflation rises for first time in five months9h agoTrump back in the air and heading to Davos10h agoTrump’s Air Force One turns back to Washington after ‘minor electrical issue’10h agoIntroduction: Trump due in Davos todayShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureOn Greenland, Trump is like a dog with a meaty bone.He says the current situation is costing Denmark hundreds of millions of dollars to run it.It’s very important that we use it for national, and international security, he insists.It will allow the US to “create a power that will make it impossible for the bad guys to do anything against the perceived good ones.”Nato has treated the US very unfairly, he claims.Trump’s now taking a few questions from top WEF operative Børge Brende.After a jibe at Scott Bessent’s youthful footballing skills (or lack of), Trump then compliments China’s president Xi.He says he’s always had a very good relation with president Xi, and president Putin – the heads of the “larger powers”.Xi is an incredible man, Trump gushes, adding what he’s done “is amazing”, he’s respected by everyone.We then get an anecdote about Xi asked Trump to stop referring to Covid-19 as the “China virus”.Jakub KrupaAs Trump starts taking questions in Davos, the chair of the European parliament’s trade committee Bernd Lange confirms that “the EU-US deal is on hold until further notice” as the lawmakers pause its implementation process.In a social media post, he added:“Our negotiating team just decided to suspend work … on the legal implementation of Turnberry deal. Our sovereignty and territorial integrity are at stake. Business as usual impossible.”Trump finally wraps up his speech, saying: The US is back, bigger stronger than ever before I’ll see you around. Some members of the audience stand up to applaud, but it doesn’t feel like as warm a reaction as Mark Carney got yesterday for his speech about the rupture facing the world economy.You can read a transcript of Carney’s speech here:And you can read analysis of that speech here:On Minnesota, Trump criticises the “mass import” of foreign cultures, citing Somalia.He then hits out at “fake congressperson” Ilhan Omar, criticising her for “telling us how to run America”[Omar is the representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, so offering such input is rather within her remit].Jakub KrupaAlso worth mentioning, as I did the other day, that in 1916 the then US state secretary Robert Lensing issued a statement saying the US “will not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland.”It was part of a broader deal in which the US and Denmark agreed to trade West Indies. “In proceeding this day to the signature of the Convention respecting the cession of the Danish West-Indian Islands to the United States of America, the undersigned Secretary of State of the United States of America, duly authorized by his Government, has the honor to declare that the Government of the United States of America will not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland. Robert Lansing. New York, August 4, 1916” Here are some more images of Trump at Davos:US President Donald Trump Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/ReutersWe also get a lengthy riff about Trump’s negotiations with Switzerland over tariffs.He warns that lower Swiss tariffs doesn’t mean they can’t go up – a great way to cheer his hosts.And, is Trump feeling conscious about his age?He remarks that while he doesn’t feel old, he is among the older members at Davos.Fact check: Trump repeats baseless claim that the US ‘gave back’ Greenland to DenmarkShrai PopatThroughout his speech today, Donald Trump has repeated a baseless claim that the US returned Greenland to Denmark after the second world war.“We already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago,” the president said.It’s a common refrain from the president, but it’s worth noting that the United States has never owned the autonomous territory.It’s been a part of the Kingdom of Denmark for centuries, a fact that is established under international law, and recognised by the US.While the US did set up military bases in Greenland (via a wartime security agreement with Denmark) during the second world war, it didn’t confer any actual ownership.In 1946, then-president Harry Truman secretly pitched to buy Greenland, but it was ultimately rejected by the Danish.Trump then claims the US should have the lowest interest rates in the world – because “without us”, other countries would have nothing.[Trump has something of a point here – US government debt is the ‘risk-free’ asset in the financial markets. America, with its control of the dollar, should never have to default.However, long-term government bond yields also reflect market expectations for inflation, and thus interest rates].He then hits out at investors for pushing down the stock market when there is great economic news, because they think interest rates will go up.Trump says he wants to build ‘greatest Golden Dome ever built’ over GreenlandJakub KrupaTrump says that if there’s ever a nuclear war, “those missiles will be flying right over the centre of that piece of ice” (that’s Greenland) and he says he needs it to build “the greatest Golden Dome ever built.”He also adds that the installation would also protect Canada, saying “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us,” saying it’s prime minister Mark Carney should be “grateful”.There is also a random shout out to Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling him not to claim credit for the Golden Dome technology, as it’s American.Onto monetary policy, and Trump says he will annouce the identity of the next chair of the Federal Reserve very soon.“He” will do a very good job, Trump predicts – meaning we can rule out half the US population from getting the top central banking job.All the candidaters are great, they could all could do a fantastic job, Trump continues, before chucking an elbow at the incumbent, the “terrible chairman” Jerome “too late” Powell.Trump talks about his plans to bring down the cost of living in America.With a swipe at Joe Biden (a ‘horrible president’), Trump tells Davos he signed an executive order yesterday which tries to advance his effort to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes.He adds that he is calling on Congress to cap credit card interest rates at 10% for one year.This will help Americans save for a home, he says.Trump then turns to Emmanuel Macron, questioning why the French president gave a speech yesterday in some rather natty sunglasses.[reportedly, Macron has an eye infection]“I actually like him, it’s hard to believe,” Trump jibes, before relating how he used the threat of tariffs to persude European countries to cut the cost of prescription drugs in the US.And in a painful moment, Trump says you can say he’s brought down drug prices by 2,000%.The fake news, he says, might only call it a 90% reduction, but that sounds “much worse”. [although more accurate].