Trump Insists on Greenland Acquisition: 'No Going Back'

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:05:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a bold reaffirmation of his stance, President Trump emphasizes the importance of Greenland, stating that there is 'no going back' on his intentions to acquire the territory, while global leaders express concern over evolving geopolitical dynamics.

President Donald Trump has intensified his rhetoric on acquiring Greenland, declaring the island 'imperative' and suggesting there is no retreat from his position. His statements come amid a backdrop of international discussions at the World Economic Forum, where leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney voiced concerns over a deteriorating global order and reaffirmed support for Greenland's sovereignty. The situation has triggered significant diplomatic tension, with threats of tariffs being exchanged and skepticism about NATO's role moving forward.

US president Donald Trump has doubled down on his threats to take control of Greenland, saying on social media that there is no going back and that Greenland is imperative.

During a news conference at the White House, Trump was asked how far he was willing to go to acquire Greenland and replied, You'll find out.

Meanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron warned at a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland of a shift towards a world without rules, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the old order is not coming back.

Trump is due to arrive in Davos on Wednesday, where he has said there are a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland.

During the lengthy press briefing, Trump also told reporters that things are going to work out pretty well in Greenland.

Asked by the BBC whether the possible breakup of the NATO alliance was a price the president was willing to pay for Greenland, he responded, Nobody has done more for NATO than I have, in every way, and said, NATO is going to be happy and we are going to be happy, adding, We need it for world security.

However, he had earlier questioned whether NATO would provide adequate support to the US if needed, saying, I know we'll come to (NATO's) rescue, but I just really do question whether or not they'll come to ours.
NATO - the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - currently has 32 member states, with the US being one of the 12 founding countries.

Trump has not ruled out the use of military force to acquire Greenland; when NBC News asked yesterday whether he would deploy force to seize the territory, the president replied no comment.

In an interview with BBC Newsnight on Tuesday evening, Greenland's Minister of Industry and Natural Resources, Naaja Nathanielsen, expressed that Greenlanders were bewildered by Trump's demands, saying, We do not want to be Americans, and we have been quite clear about that. She added, What value do you put on our culture and our right to decide what happens with us in the future?

Tuesday was the first day of the forum in Davos. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed the matter directly in her speech, emphasizing Europe's commitment to Arctic security, but stating this could only be achieved collectively. She criticized Trump's proposed additional tariffs as a mistake.

Trump has declared he will implement a 10% tariff on any and all goods imported from eight European countries from February 1 if they opposed his Greenland acquisition. Von der Leyen affirmed the EU's full solidarity with Greenland and Denmark, maintaining their sovereignty is non-negotiable.

Her sentiments were echoed by Canada’s Mark Carney, who asserted, We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future.

Macron stated a preference for respect to bullies and labeled the use of tariffs in this context as fundamentally unacceptable.

The evolving tensions may be exacerbated, as sources hint at the European Parliament planning to stall approval of a US trade deal, escalating the rift over the Greenland issue and Trump's aggressive trade policies.