Trump defends Greenland bid and tariffs at Davos as EU weighs retaliation

US President Donald Trump, in an address at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, reiterated his ambition to acquire Greenland from Denmark, describing the territory as a "strategic" necessity for US national security.

"No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States," Trump stated, calling for "immediate negotiations" while ruling out the use of force. "All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland ... We need it for strategic, national security, and international security," he added.

Trump also defended his aggressive use of tariffs as a cornerstone of US economic success. "We have made some great trade deals; everyone knows when the US grows, you will follow," he said.

This follows his weekend warning on Truth Social that he would impose 10 percent tariffs, starting Feb 1, unless a deal is reached for the purchase of Greenland, on goods from eight NATO allies, including the UK, Germany and France, that have opposed the Greenland acquisition.

The speech followed a series of pre-emptive strikes from European heads of state. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron rejected US pressure, declaring that Europe would not accept the "law of the strongest". In a critique of Trump's "new colonialism," Macron emphasized Europe's commitment to international law and sovereignty.

Earlier on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Trump's tariff threats a "mistake" that risked a "downward spiral" in ties. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also weighed in from London, describing the proposed tariffs, which could escalate from 10 percent on Feb 1 to 25 percent by June, as "completely wrong".

Following Trump's formal reiteration of these policies on Wednesday, European reactions escalated into concrete measures. The European Parliament formally suspended work on approving a US-EU trade deal reached last summer, citing the ongoing threats. European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed an emergency summit in Brussels this Thursday to coordinate a collective response, which could include retaliatory tariffs on up to €110 billion ($129 billion) of US exports.

In his speech, Trump further attacked European renewable energy policies, particularly wind power, calling them a "hoax". He claimed such policies weaken Europe while benefiting China. "China makes almost all of the windmills, and yet I haven't been able to find any wind farms in China," Trump said.

However, industry data contradict this claim. According to the World Wind Energy Association, China remains the world's largest wind power market, with cumulative installed capacity exceeding 600 GW by mid-2025. In the first half of 2025 alone, China added 51.4 GW of new capacity, more than double the amount installed during the same period in 2024.