SUNTV Global Channel | January 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump arrived on the world stage at Davos with controversy in tow, as his renewed push to acquire Greenland threatens to plunge relations between Washington and Europe into their deepest crisis in decades.
A day before the World Economic Forum, Trump openly mocked European leaders, setting the tone for what many diplomats now describe as a high-stakes confrontation over the future of the autonomous Danish territory. Greenland, rich in strategic minerals and newly accessible as Arctic ice melts, has become the centrepiece of Trump’s aggressive foreign policy posture in his second term.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure, Trump was asked how far he was willing to go to secure Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO ally. His response was characteristically blunt: “You’ll find out.” Moments later, he admitted he had “no idea” how his Davos visit would unfold.
The trip itself began awkwardly, with a minor electrical fault forcing Air Force One to turn back shortly after takeoff, compelling the president and his entourage to switch aircraft.
Despite the rocky start, Trump is scheduled to deliver a highly anticipated speech at Davos at 2:30 pm (1330 GMT), his first appearance at the elite gathering in six years. While the White House says his address will focus on the US economy and cost-of-living pressures ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Greenland is expected to loom large in the background.
European leaders have already closed ranks against Trump’s stance. French President Emmanuel Macron warned against what he described as attempts to “subordinate Europe,” calling US tariff threats “unacceptable.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that Trump’s approach risked sending EU–US relations into a “downward spiral.”
Trump has escalated tensions by threatening tariffs of up to 25 percent on eight European countries supporting Denmark. Europe, in turn, has hinted at retaliatory trade measures. Dismissing such threats, Trump said any European action would “ricochet backward” against them, while still insisting a deal could be reached “in the next few days.”
The US president also publicly mocked Macron by revealing a private text message proposing a G7 discussion on Greenland and Ukraine. Trump later ruled out attending such a meeting, while Macron clarified that no summit was officially scheduled.
Beyond Europe, the standoff has drawn global attention. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received a standing ovation at Davos after declaring that Canada “stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark,” distancing Ottawa further from Washington amid earlier remarks by Trump suggesting Canada should become the 51st US state.
Trump maintains that Greenland is essential to US and NATO security, arguing that Russia and China are rapidly expanding their influence in the Arctic. However, critics warn that any attempt to seize territory from an ally could shatter the NATO alliance. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda warned that such a move would mark “the end of NATO.”
Adding to the tension, Greenland’s prime minister has cautioned that the island’s population of just 57,000 must be prepared for the possibility of military pressure.
As if the drama were not enough, Trump is also expected to announce the first charter of his proposed “Board of Peace” on Thursday — a $1 billion international body originally linked to Gaza’s reconstruction but now seemingly aimed at broader global conflict resolution.
One year into his second term, Trump’s Davos appearance has become more than an economic speech. For Europe and the wider world, it is shaping up as a defining moment that could redraw alliances — with Greenland at the heart of a geopolitical storm.
