By The South Asia Times

Davos -  U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his call for the United States to acquire Greenland, arguing that the vast Arctic territory is a core American and NATO security interest and cannot be adequately defended by Denmark or other allies.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said he had “tremendous respect” for the people of Denmark and Greenland, but insisted that NATO members have an obligation to defend their own territory. “The fact is, no nation, or group of nations, is in any position to secure Greenland other than the United States,” he said.

Trump framed Greenland as a strategically vital, largely uninhabited territory positioned between the United States, Russia and China, saying its importance has grown dramatically due to advances in missiles and nuclear weapons. He dismissed claims that U.S. interest is driven by mineral resources, instead emphasizing what he described as urgent national and international security needs.

Citing World War II, Trump recalled that Denmark was unable to defend itself or Greenland following Germany’s invasion, prompting the United States to deploy forces and establish bases on the island. He said Washington later returned Greenland to Denmark after the war, a decision he criticized as a mistake. “We fought for Denmark. We saved Greenland,” he said, adding that the territory is now more strategically significant than ever before.

Trump said Denmark had pledged in 2019 to strengthen Greenland’s defenses but alleged that less than one percent of the promised funding was spent. While stressing his respect for Danish leaders, he argued that only the United States has the military capacity to protect and develop the island in a way that benefits Europe and the wider NATO alliance.

The president said he was seeking “immediate negotiations” with Denmark to discuss acquiring Greenland, describing such a move as consistent with historical U.S. territorial acquisitions. He maintained that U.S. ownership of the island would strengthen NATO rather than threaten it, saying that effective defense would require full control rather than a lease or limited agreement.

Trump also used his address to sharply criticize NATO allies, claiming the United States has long borne an unfair share of the alliance’s defense burden. He said his previous pressure campaign forced member states to sharply increase defense spending, which he argued had strengthened the alliance.

Turning to global conflicts, Trump said he was working to end the war in Ukraine, calling it a “bloodbath” that should never have started. He claimed both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want a deal, and said his efforts were aimed at stopping further loss of life rather than advancing U.S. strategic gains.

Trump also reiterated criticism of U.S. media coverage, questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. election, and highlighted what he described as major U.S. military achievements and modernization efforts, including new weapons systems and expanded missile defense capabilities.

Concluding his remarks, Trump warned that while the United States would stand by NATO allies, he was uncertain they would do the same for Washington in a crisis. “A strong and secure America means a strong NATO,” he said, adding that U.S. economic strength and military power were central to global stability