Deal to Acquire Greenland Dominates Headlines at Davos Economic Forum

President Donald Trump is in Davos, Switzerland, attending the World Economic Forum with some of the most significant political leaders on the planet. However, while the purpose of the forum is intended to discuss economic issues, it was the president's focus on annexing Greenland that took center stage. Read on for the details about what transpired in Davos on Wednesday.

President Addresses World Leaders About Plans for Greenland

The American contingent's travels to Davos got off to a rocky start late Tuesday. A technical issue on Air Force One forced the plane to return to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about one hour into the flight to Switzerland. According to the White House, the decision to use a different plane was made out of an abundance of caution after a "minor electrical issue."

Reporters on board Air Force One with the president detailed the flurry of activity to transfer luggage, food, and other necessities before taking off again. The new jet finally took off just after midnight without incident.

Once safely on the ground in Davos, the president and his team got to work with meetings and speaking engagements. Trump addressed the forum in a speech that lasted over an hour, reiterating his plans to acquire Greenland. Trump defended his desire to annex the Arctic island by saying that there is no other country in a position to secure Greenland except for the U.S. The president called on his European allies to participate in "immediate negotiations" to acquire the island.

Trump did not win any favor with Denmark during his speech, criticizing the Danish leaders for being "ungrateful" for not handing over their territory of Greenland. The U.S. president went on to say that Denmark owed the U.S. after they defended it during World War II.

One of the most notable aspects of Trump's Davos speech is that he said that he will not use force to annex Greenland. This marked the clearest statement yet that the military will not be involved in the plans.

More details about the reported deal to acquire Greenland were released later in the day. Trump said that he could get behind paying a lump sum to both the nation and its residents for the right to acquire the island. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that his organization and Trump have reached a framework for a deal.

In addition to the president, the American contingent at the forum includes Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

U.S stocks surged on Wednesday on the news of a potential solution to the growing crisis surrounding Greenland. The gains came one day after the markets suffered their worst losses since October.

Other Highlights of Trump's Davos Speech

Although the topic of Greenland dominated the headlines in Davos, Trump also addressed other issues during his speech. Notably, the president spent a good amount of time criticizing his peers in Europe and elsewhere. For example, Trump told the convention attendees that parts of Europe were "not even recognizable," saying that it is headed in the wrong direction. The president blamed the continent's problems on increased government spending, leaning on too many imports, and unregulated mass migration. Trump also criticized the European reliance on green energy, specifically on the use of windmills to generate power.

The relationship between the U.S. and NATO has been shaky at best in recent weeks due to Trump's insistence on taking over Greenland. Trump doubled down on these issues on Wednesday when he questioned the transatlantic alliance's commitment to standing with the U.S.

Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not in attendance on Wednesday, Trump still used his time behind the podium to dismiss Ukraine's position. Trump said that there was a big ocean between the U.S. and Europe, attempting to distance himself and America from the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. It is being reported that Zelensky will be in Davos on Thursday to meet with Trump. Reports have also surfaced that Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Moscow on the same day to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Closer to home, Trump warned Canadians that they should be more "grateful" for the U.S. Trump specifically called out Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for not being appreciative of the U.S. during his Tuesday speech at the forum.

The American president also reminded attendees about the successful mission to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump boasted about the cooperation that is happening between the U.S. and Venezuela, saying that other leaders should follow his lead.

On the home front, Trump touted his domestic economic agenda. The president claimed that he proved his skeptics wrong with what he said was the success of his tariff program and the downsizing of the federal government.

Lastly, Trump also took another shot at the 2020 U.S. presidential election, continuing to repeat the unfounded claims that the election was rigged in favor of former President Joe Biden.

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