President Donald Trump made his case for the U.S. to acquire Greenland Wednesday is front of leaders from throughout the world.
The president spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and said only the U.S. can defend Greenland, per The Hill.
Trump started in jest by stating he was told to leave the topic out of his speech. This came after European allies expressed reservations on his push to take over the territory.
“Would you like me to say a few words on Greenland?” Trump asked. “I was going to leave it out of the speech but I thought ‘I think I would have been reviewed very negatively.’”
Trump said he has “tremendous respect for the people of Greenland and Denmark,” but “the fact is no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland, other than the United States.”
He added the U.S. would not use force to take over 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,” Trump said.
“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,” he added.
The president said if the U.S. acquired the Danish territory, it would “strengthen” the NATO alliance.
Trump also called Denmark “ungrateful” in response to the U.S.’s help during World War II.
“Without us, you’d all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps,” the president said in Switzerland, where most speak German.
