Greenland Trusteeship: Trump’s Lies at Davos
- President Donald Trump faced criticism at the world Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, 2024, for making demonstrably false statements regarding Greenland and the North Atlantic...
- President Trump asserted that the United States had "taken over Greenland as trustee." This statement is factually incorrect.
- Department of State, the United States maintains a strong relationship with both Denmark and Greenland, but does not have a claim to trusteeship. https://www.state.gov/countries-regions/greenland/
Trump Makes False Claims at World Economic Forum
Table of Contents
U.S. President Donald Trump faced criticism at the world Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, 2024, for making demonstrably false statements regarding Greenland and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
False Claim About Greenland
President Trump asserted that the United States had “taken over Greenland as trustee.” This statement is factually incorrect. Greenland remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and the United States has not assumed any trustee role over the island. Denmark maintains sovereignty over Greenland, with Greenlandic self-government handling internal affairs.
Evidence: According to the U.S. Department of State, the United States maintains a strong relationship with both Denmark and Greenland, but does not have a claim to trusteeship. https://www.state.gov/countries-regions/greenland/
Criticism of NATO
Trump also claimed that the United States had “never received any support from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).” This claim contradicts decades of documented military and political cooperation within the alliance. NATO members have consistently provided support to the United States in various operations and initiatives.
Evidence: Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, NATO invoked Article 5 of its founding treaty – a collective defence clause – for the first and only time, demonstrating direct support for the United States. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics/9988/index.htm
Media Reporting
The New York Times reported that President Trump’s speech included distortions of Greenland’s history, attacks on NATO, and the repetition of previously debunked claims about the U.S. economy and his personal accomplishments.
Evidence: The New York Times published a report detailing the inaccuracies in President trump’s remarks on January 21, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/21/world/europe/trump-davos-greenland-nato.html