U.S. President Donald Trump attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Romina Amato
It was almost as disturbingly painful to watch Donald Trump publicly insulting our allies yesterday and demanding ownership of Greenland as it was to experience his rambling, ego-centric, error-filled and self-serving address.
"It's a small ask," Trump dismissingly insisted for decades of carrying an ungrateful Europe, Canada and western powers. The Davos gathering of leaders usually focuses on economics, but U.S. bullyism pushed other topics aside.
And then, suddenly, Trump posted that after a single conversation with Mark Rutte, head of NATO, he was calling off his tariff war with Europe – and maybe backing off ownership altogether because they had discussed an undescribed "framework" about the Arctic Circle.
It ended a baffling day with high confusion and emotion with dealing with an unpredictable Trump armed with the world's biggest military and trade arsenal.
Greenland seems a pawn, but Trump's demand for the spotlight was a diplomatic disaster.
A Weird Speech
Trump's unfocused remarks several times confused Iceland with Greenland, attacked immigration in Europe as well as the United States, and broadly swiped treaty friends over decades for "taking advantage" or "screwing" this country in trade, defense and culture.
It mixed future threats with past retributions, equated treaty concerns with his obsession with losing to Joe Biden more than five years ago, dismissed the value of the NATO alliance, insisting that only he can see the world as it should be seen.
It was, as one television head noted, a serial takedown of every U.S. ally personally and diplomatically. Though the speech itself did not go beyond what he has said publicly, its belligerent tone and grating insults may light a global split that may not be reparable, well beyond any political change in the next election or beyond. Its inability to provide clear focus simply left listeners baffled about his seriousness or agenda beyond power and control.
The only bright note was a Trump acknowledgement that the United States would not use military force to grab Greenland – but would relaunch a global trade law based on tariffs policy that are before the U.S. Supreme Court to consider as being unconstitutional.
If Trump musings were not seen as so critical, the appearance in Davos with global leaders could have been the Superbowl for fact-checkers. His remarks cherry-picked economic numbers, glossed over legalities, and rewrote domestic and international history.
Rambling Insults
For more than an hour, global leaders listened with chagrin and building anger as Trump rambled through a speech that sounded much more ad lib than written. The personal nature of the insults guarantee that Trump will have difficulty getting cooperation when it is needed.
As Trump talked punishing Europe with new tariffs over Greenland, the European Parliament suspended the approval of the trade deal that the EU and U.S. agreed in July, though voted narrowly to delay a new major trade deal between the European Union and four South American countries to build on an economic path that works around the U.S. Canada is talking with China about broadened markets. It's now all suddenly unclear anew.
Trump said Greenland is "a piece of ice, cold and poorly located" that Denmark cannot afford. When he did not confuse Greenland and Iceland, Trump talked about its strategic value for national and international security – though never explained why "ownership" is required from an ally. Despite Trump's belief that climate change and global warming is a hoax, the start of melting of the permafrost in the Arctic Circle makes emerging access to minerals and natural resources a much more understandable Trump target.
Meanwhile, of course, if Trump is really worried about Russia and China aggressions, as he says, the Russian invasion of Ukraine presents a much more prescient conflict. But Trump has basically withdrawn much of U.S. support for Ukraine and has unduly pressured Ukraine to cede territory to Russia. Russia is attacking the civilian population across Ukraine with attacks on utilities to keep the country without electricity, heat and water.
Rewritten World History
Trump overlooks both international agreements and domestic treaty agreements signed by the Senate that grant Greenland sovereign status. He also overlooks that the U.S. has a big military base there, and an open invitation to add more troops or mining investments.
Trump has rewritten the circumstances in which the U.S. "gave back" Greenland to Denmark.
Trump preferred a message that other countries are dependent on the United States, adding, essentially, that they need to reward and pay for that privilege.
Trump has rewritten history to say the United States saved Europe in World War II. Trump insisted that NATO has never repaid the U.S. for its support over years – ignoring that the only time NATO responded to its Article V cooperative military protections was after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington. Canada, for example, "lives because of the United States," Trump said. His attacks on Somalis and European immigration were openly racist.
Overall, his contemptuous messaging seemed to affirm international fears that the U.S. is willing to forgo treaty allies and partnerships for territorial expansion and power grabs.
