Trump’s ‘small ask’ for Greenland would be the real estate deal of a lifetime

President Donald J. Trump wants Greenland. Full title, ownership papers, and no, he’s not funny successful a lease close now. "It's the United States unsocial that tin support this elephantine wide of land, this elephantine portion of ice," Trump said successful his code to the ritzy World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland connected Wednesday, Jan. 21.  

"I'm seeking contiguous negotiations to erstwhile again to sermon the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," helium told the leaders assembled astatine Davos. "It’s a tiny ask," helium quipped.  

Don’t beryllium shocked by Trump’s tactics. There’s astute reasoning down Trump’s bid for Greenland. The post-1945 satellite bid shunned bound changes. Trump sees it differently. "This enormous, unsecured land is really portion of North America," Trump said. The U.S. hasn’t done a large onshore woody since Spanish-American War of 1898, and the past acquisition was the Marshall Islands successful 1947.  

"I won’t usage force," Trump assured the audience. Of people not. Trump won’t stoop to the amerciable seizure tactics of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He’s not going to bargain Greenland. The past happening helium wants is paratroopers successful Arctic cogwheel dropping into Greenland.  

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL NOT USE MILITARY FORCE TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND

President Donald Trump addresses the assemblage during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

No uncertainty swinging the acquisition of Greenland for the USA would beryllium the No. 1 existent property woody of Trump’s career. However, Trump’s superior motive, wisely, is nationalist security. The territory of Greenland is simply a genuine, urgent concern. "Those missiles would beryllium flying close implicit the halfway of that portion of ice," helium said, adding that U.S. ownership is captious to "keep our precise energetic and unsafe imaginable enemies astatine bay."  

On strategical grounds Trump is right. Russia’s formidable caller Yasen-class atomic submarines, based connected the Kola peninsula, tin motorboat Kalibr and Oniks missiles, and the caller hypersonic Zirkon missile. Russian bombers and anti-submarine planes are progressive – conscionable inquire the Norwegians, who intercepted Russian planes yet again connected Jan. 6. Chinese ships and submarines are prowling around, too.  

You tin conscionable ideate the scary briefing charts Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg and others are showing Trump arsenic they laic retired the architecture for Golden Dome.  

The purchaser is "highly motivated," arsenic the existent property agents say. 

TRUMP CHALLENGES CARNEY AT DAVOS, ASSERTS CANADA SHOULD BE 'GRATEFUL' FOR GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE

So present comes the creation of the deal. At Davos, Trump unleashed each existent property maneuver from threats to pleas to scoffing astatine the worth of this "big, beauteous portion of ice." 

As you’d expect erstwhile preparing for negotiations, Trump proceeded to tally down the commercialized worth of Greenland’s captious mineral resources. He called Greenland "a portion of ice, acold and poorly located." Trump besides criticized the existent owner, Denmark, for failing to put and support the place. According to Trump, Denmark pledged an further $200 cardinal for Greenland’s defenses backmost successful 2019 but didn’t deliver.  

All those are classical existent property tactics.  

NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP AT DAVOS, SAYS HE FORCED EUROPE TO ‘STEP UP’ ON DEFENSE

Then determination was the affectional appeal. After decades of information beingness successful Europe, "we’ve ne'er gotten anything" from NATO, Trump said. "All we're asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title and ownership," Trump whined. Switching gears, helium pointed retired that a U.S. takeover would beryllium a bully woody for NATO. U.S. ownership of Greenland "would greatly heighten the information of the full alliance," Trump offered.

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No uncertainty swinging the acquisition of Greenland for the USA would beryllium the No. 1 existent property woody of Trump’s career. However, Trump’s superior motive, wisely, is nationalist security. The territory of Greenland is simply a genuine, urgent concern. 

To beryllium sure, helium loves the history. Trump described however the U.S. saved Greenland from Nazi Germany (which is true). Then the U.S. Army Air Forces ran ferry routes to England for B-17 bombers, P-38 Lightning fighters, C-47 cargo transports and galore different warplanes via airfields connected Greenland. Trump is atrocious Democrat President Harry S. Truman gave it backmost aft World War II.  

Yet this is nary imperialist oregon mercantilist grab. Trump does not privation to marque wealth disconnected Greenland; connected the contrary, helium wants to walk it. On Golden Dome. And each the P-8 anti-submarine warfare planes and different assets to support Greenland.

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who was successful the audience, has a large task ahead. Trump likes Rutte and called him "great" astatine Davos. Rutte, who was premier curate of the Netherlands, present has to find a mode to springiness Trump a involvement successful Greenland. It whitethorn instrumentality a treaty, a associated venture, a defence compact, oregon a flag-planting existent property deal, but there’s nary going back. Trump astatine Davos made wide that his continued enthusiasm for Ukraine and NATO depends connected securing ineligible entree to Greenland successful bid to amended U.S. defenses.  

Let the negotiations begin.