Trump’s U-turn on Greenland

January 24, 2026

Abhsihek Vij

At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump spoke for 75 minutes instead of the scheduled 45, dedicating half of his speech to justifying his plan for an American takeover of Greenland, while the other half was spent criticizing major world powers. It is said that the Davos conferences determine the future of trade, investment, and politics in the coming days. Donald Trump is a master of changing his statements and making provocative remarks.

From the Davos stage, he said that Greenland is merely a piece of ice. He claimed that the US had saved Denmark from defeat, and that Denmark was being ungrateful by not giving Greenland to the US. He added that the US has the power to take control of Greenland without even deploying troops. Why did Trump make a U-turn on his statement about a military takeover of Greenland? The reason is that Trump has already deployed troops in Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba.

If he were to use military force in Greenland, which is a NATO member country, the US could find itself embroiled in a military conflict with the 27 other NATO member states. Trump likely doesn’t want to open another front. Meanwhile, the European Union countries and Europe have maintained their unity. It’s worth noting that Britain is not part of this, as it has already struck a separate trade deal with the US. The US currently has a 10 percent tariff on British goods, but the 10 percent tariff currently imposed on the European Union could rise to 25 percent in June. The European Union has also ordered a halt to the trade deal with the US that was agreed upon in July.

As a result, global markets saw a decline in share prices on Wednesday, including in India. However, after the speech, during a conversation with journalists, Trump praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured a quick trade deal with India, and the market now appears to be recovering. More on the market later. Let’s turn to Trump for now. Trump is still insistent on acquiring Greenland. He has stated that he wouldn’t do this out of greed for Greenland’s rare earth minerals, but rather because acquiring Greenland is necessary for American security.Trump reiterated once again that he has stopped eight global wars, including the one between India and Pakistan.

He even went so far as to say that if he hadn’t become President of the United States, the world would be on the brink of a third world war today. The question is, did Trump save the world from the brink of a third world war, or did his actions bring the world to the edge of a world war? Trump spoke for 75 minutes. He even called Putin and Zelenskyy fools. He said that Canada is a country that thrives on our subsidies, and we can end those subsidies whenever we want. He called Denmark ungrateful.Donald Trump delivered his entire speech in his characteristic domineering style.

Trump doesn’t hesitate to backtrack on his statements. After the speech, while talking to reporters, he once again called PM Modi his great friend and said that a trade deal with India would be finalized soon. Perhaps that’s why the Indian stock market is showing signs of recovery. However, Trump’s repeated creation of an image of the US as a country that constantly reverses its positions on global platforms is making the situation uncertain for the US itself.