Donald Trump said he does not want to use force to seize Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark but urged Europeans to come to the table and make a deal to enable the sale of the sprawling territory, which he confused with Iceland several times during a rambling hour-long speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they (Europeans) won't give it," Trump said on Wednesday afternoon. "They have a choice: you can say yes and we'll be very appreciative, and you can say no and we will remember."
The United States president repeatedly described the acquisition of Greenland as necessary for his country's "national security" and called for "immediate negotiations" to bring the mineral-rich island under American control. He also questioned NATO's ability to protect Greenland in the event of an armed conflict.
"The fact is no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the US," he said.
His speech also featured attacks against the "green scam", "unchecked mass migration" and "endless foreign imports" that he believes are ruining Europe.
"I love Europe, and I want to see Europe do good, but it's not heading in the right direction," he said on stage.
Reacting to the intervention, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed the fact that Trump had publicly refused to employ force to capture Greenland but warned his expansionist ambitions remained "intact".
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