The big day has arrived, as has Donald Trump in Davos, where his participation in the World Economic Forum is dominated by tensions with European allies and the controversial push to acquire Greenland. Before arriving in Switzerland, the American president said he expected progress on the Arctic island, defined as crucial for US national security, despite NATO warnings about the risk of destabilizing the Alliance.
The economic successes during the first year of his presidency
Greenland, Venezuela, the US economy and China. Big themes under one flag, that of America First. From the stage in Davos, President Donald Trump did not fail to address the dossiers that are damaging relations between the United States and its historical allies. In the first part of his long speech, Trump listed the economic results that the United States achieved during the first year of his second term in the White House. Pointing the finger at the pessimism and critical issues raised by economic analysts regarding tariffs, Trump instead told a success story of the US economy, put into crisis by the policies of the former Biden administration: increase in imports and greater revenues thanks to trade policies. “The duties are used to make those countries that have damaged us pay.” The comparison with the second largest economy in the world was then immediate. “China is doing very well in AI but we are ahead, the United States is leading the world in AI,” he said, boasting of the supposed US lead over China in the technology sector.
“Immediate treaties for the acquisition of Greenland”
Trump became harsher in the second part of his speech, using the stage of the World Economic Forum in Davos to relaunch and strengthen his expansionist aims on the Arctic island which, in his opinion, only Washington is capable of defending. “I have great respect for the people of Denmark and Greenland, but no one can ensure their security other than the United States,” he said, recalling that in the past the US created military bases on the island and fought in defense of Denmark. In his speech, Trump called for “immediate negotiations” to discuss the acquisition of Greenland, which he called “an undefended island in a strategic area.” The president insisted that this initiative “does not represent a threat to NATO”, while underlining that “only the United States can protect Greenland”. And then: “What I ask is a piece of ice, for the protection of the world”, reiterating that he will not use military force to acquire the island. And then the warning to the allies: “If the Europeans say yes, we will appreciate it very much” and “if they say no, we will remember it”. The president declared that the United States wants Greenland to build the “Golden Dome”, intended to defend Canada, while criticizing Ottawa for its alleged ingratitude towards Washington.
The president then highlighted the current global risks: “Our country, at the moment, but also the world, is faced with higher risks than in the past: missiles, nuclear warheads and other weapons. We need an international security effort”. Referring to Greenland, he added: “That is a huge island, it is geographically part of North America, of the so-called northern frontier of the northern hemisphere. It also refers to the national security of the United States.” There has been no shortage of attacks on NATO. Assuring support for the Alliance, the leader of the strongest member country, however, questioned the support of the other nations that fall under the NATO umbrella. “I don’t think in the event of an attack, they are willing to intervene for us,” he commented. The president also complained that “the US has been treated very badly by NATO”, reiterating the request for an increase in defense spending up to 5 percent of GDP. “A strong and secure America means a strong NATO,” Trump continued.
The EU is “not going in the right direction”
Trump also harshly criticized Europe, claiming that it is “not going in the right direction” and that “some countries are now unrecognizable.” While declaring himself in favor of “a strong and united West” and “a strong Europe”, he accused European governments of having “stupidly” followed the Biden administration’s policies, citing record deficits, mass immigration and loss of economic competitiveness.
According to Trump, the European Union should become an energy power, but “has lost ground”, while the United States would represent the model to follow on growth, immigration and energy. Claiming his European origins, Trump concluded by stating that Washington “wants stronger allies”, but that to guarantee the security of the West “unity, strength and determination” are needed.
“Putin called me: he promised me the resolution of the war”
There was also a reference to the war in Ukraine, which Trump believed he could resolve in a week. A year after returning to the White House, he has not allowed Russian bombs and drones to bomb Ukrainian energy infrastructure and homes. “I inherited a disaster with Ukraine and Russia, something that should never have happened. I actually told Putin very clearly, but he wasn’t ready to discuss it. He should never have done something like that, what happened is terrible and I saw it happen,” Trump said, pointing the finger at Biden, called a “horrible president” five times. Announcing that in the next few hours he will see Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, he reiterated his belief that Vladimir Putin “wants to make an agreement”, as does the Ukrainian president. “Putin called me to tell me that he couldn’t believe that I had resolved the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in one day, while he had been working on it for ten years. ‘Don’t worry now,’ I told him, ‘we will try to resolve this other war too.” But, he recalled, “it is up to Europe to resolve the war in Ukraine, not to the United States”.
