Trump rules out using force to acquire Greenland

By Alex Gangitano | 01/21/2026 11:46 AM EST

In Davos, the president urged negotiations for “a piece of ice.”

Donald Trump addresses the audience at World Economic Forum.

President Donald Trump addresses the audience during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Evan Vucci/AP

President Donald Trump ruled out military force to acquire Greenland in his remarks Wednesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, providing a momentary sense of relief to Europe after weeks of worry that the U.S. would enter a confrontation with NATO.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won’t do that,” Trump said. “That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force.”

Trump said Wednesday that he wants to see negotiation to acquire what he called “a piece of ice.”

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The president, though, warned Denmark that if it doesn’t give up Greenland to the U.S., “we will remember.”

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