Trump covets Greenland, insults allies and talks up US economy at Davos
· France 24President Donald Trump arrived at the international forum at Davos amid soaring tensions as he threatened steep US import taxes on Denmark and seven other allies unless they negotiate a transfer of the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland – a concession the European leaders indicated they are not willing to make.
Read moreLive: 'I won't use force' to acquire Greenland, Trump says in Davos speech
Trump said the tariffs would start at 10 percent in February and climb to 25 percent in June, rates that would be high enough to increase costs and slow growth, potentially hurting Trump’s efforts to tamp down the high cost of living in the US.
The president in a text message that circulated among European officials this week linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. In the message, he told Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace”.
Replay: US President Donald Trump gives speech at Davos forum
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As Trump’s motorcade headed down a narrow road to the speech site, Onlookers, including some skiers, lined the route as Trump’s motorcade arrived in the Swiss mountain town. Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.
Billionaires and business leaders nonetheless sought seats inside the forum’s Congress Hall, which had a capacity of around 1,000, to hear Trump. By the time he began, it was standing room only.
Trump addresses World Economic Forum in Davos, making many "false statements"
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Trump is expected to have around five bilateral meetings with foreign leaders while at the forum, where more than 60 other heads of state are in attendance, though further details weren't provided.
Here are the highlights of Trump's speech:
The US 'will not take Greenland by force'
Trump insisted he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership”, but he said he wouldn’t employ force to achieve that.
“What I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located,” Trump said, declaring of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”
He urged NATO to allow the US to take Greenland from Denmark and added an extraordinary warning, saying alliance members can say yes “and we’ll be very appreciative. Or you can say, ‘No,’ and we will remember.”
“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said. “That’s our territory.”
On several occasions during a speech which lasted more than an hour, Trump mistakenly referred to Greenland as Iceland.
Trump "does not appear to give regard to US softpower" as he addresses economic leaders
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Europe is 'not heading in the right direction'
Trump said that the US is booming but Europe is “not heading in the right direction" which he blamed on European leaders' policy missteps in areas ranging from wind power and the environment to immigration and geopolitics.
“I love Europe and I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” Trump said. He added, “We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones."
Trump also proclaimed that, “When America booms the whole world booms,” and, “You all follow us down and you follow us up.”
Read moreMacron says Europe will not bow to ‘bullies’ as allies slam tariffs over Greenland
Macron 'acting tough', Carney 'should be grateful'
Trump took a hectoring tone, chastising the United States' European allies for their insolence and disloyalty to the US.
He singled out French President Emmanuel Macron, taking aim at sunglasses his French counterpart wore a day earlier for health issues and accusing him of playing tough over pharmaceutical price negotiations.
"I watched him yesterday with those beautiful sunglasses – what the hell happened? But I watched him sort of be tough" over his hesitation to raise drug prices to be more in line with US rates, Trump said in an address to the economic forum.
"I said, 'Emmanuel you've been taking advantage of the United States for 30 years with prescription drugs. You really should do it, and you will do it,'" Trump said.
Trump also targeted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saying he "should be grateful" to Washington, a day after Carney warned of a rupture to the US-led global system.
"Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements," Trump added.
No concessions for affordable housing
Trump planned to use his Davos appearance to talk about making housing more attainable and other affordability issues that are top priorities for Americans, but his appearance at the gathering of global elites focused more on his gripes with other countries.
When he finally did mention housing, meanwhile, Trump suggested he didn't support a measure to encourage affordability. He said bringing down rising home prices hurts property values and makes homeowners who once felt wealthy because of the equity in their houses feel poorer.
White House officials had promoted the speech as a moment for Trump to try to rekindle populist support back in the US, where many voters who backed him in 2024 view affordability as a major problem.
About six in 10 US adults now say that Trump has hurt the cost of living, according to the latest survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
US home sales are at a 30-year low with rising prices and elevated mortgage rates keeping many prospective buyers out of the market. So far, Trump has announced plans to buy $200 billion in mortgage securities to help lower interest rates on home loans, and has called for a ban on large financial companies buying houses.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and Reuters)