By Mark Stone, US correspondent, in Washington DC
Donald Trump certainly didn’t back down on Greenland but beyond the aggressive bluster was there somewhat of a climbdown from the American president?
He appeared to rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland.
“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,” he said.
“That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago.”
A few minutes later, he said: “We want a piece of ice for world protection. They have a choice.
“You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”
Trump makes case for ‘Iceland’
The president devoted a significant portion of his Davos speech to the issue of Greenland.
Despite mistakenly calling it ‘Iceland’ on a number of occasions, he sought to provide his justification for wanting to acquire the Danish territory.
“It’s the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it’s good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us.
“And that’s the reason I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition in Greenland by the United States…. This would greatly enhance the security of the entire Alliance… the NATO Alliance,” he said.
He began with a softer tone.
“I have tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark, tremendous respect, but every NATO ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory.
“And the fact is, no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland, other than the United States.”
But Trump then went on to dismiss Greenland as an uninhabited piece of land.
Articulating his argument that Denmark would be unable to defend it (ignoring the fact that the NATO alliance as a whole would be required to defend it), he said:
“We saw this in World War Two, when Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland.”
He added: “Right now, you’d all be speaking German and little Japanese.”
Dismissing defence treaties
Trump’s explanation for why the existing defence treaty with Denmark (which allows the US to put as much military infrastructure as it likes in Greenland) isn’t enough was startling and revealing.
“All we’re asking for is to get Greenland, including the right title and ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it. You can’t defend it on a lease. Number one, legally, it’s not defensible that way… And number two, psychologically, who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?”
In saying that, the president appeared to dismiss the basis of all America’s defence treaties.
The threat of force against Greenland may be reduced, for now, but this transatlantic crisis remains critical.
