Nobody Knows What Is Trump’s ‘Greenland Deal’ still

While the deal reportedly will not entirely satisfy Donald Trump’s desire to ‘own’ Greenland, and according to sources reporting to CBS and BBC, the proposed deal does not give the U.S. control over Greenland, or change the nation’s status as an autonomous Danish dependent territory. According to Trump, the U.S. will be working with European allies to put Trump’s plan for a Golden Dome into action. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen made statements to the media at the end of the convention, stating that while he was glad the day was ending on a better note, Europe still needs to address Donald Trump’s concerns in the Arctic while respecting Denmark’s sovereignty.

Rasmussen also mentioned Trump’s Golden Dome, stating that Trump’s European allies could work together to bring the idea to fruition. Trump has been talking about building a ‘Golden Dome’ like there is in Israel to protect the U.S. from any potential missile attacks. Trump has long used fear-mongering as a political tactic, telling Americans that they are under threat from multiple nations and that the world is full of malactors set to destroy America. While it’s unclear which countries Donald Trump believes will attack America, a NATO spokesperson told the media that NATO would be working with Trump to ensure that China and Russia do not gain any footholds in Greenland or the Arctic.

While the deal discussed does not reportedly give the U.S. control over Greenland, it may give the U.S. control over the exports of Greenland’s rare earth minerals, something Danish lawmakers are questioning. Multiple Danish lawmakers spoke to the media at Davos, questioning why NATO or the U.S. would have any input on the island’s mineral wealth. Aaja Chenmitz, a Greenlandic parliament member, claimed that NATO has no right to negotiate anything on behalf of Greenland. Donald Trump made it clear in his first speech at Davos that while he is seeking immediate negotiations to acquire Greenland, he will not make military advancements.

While Trump claimed he wouldn’t take Greenland by force, he also made a slew of veiled threats against Greenland and NATO. Trump claimed that if NATO cedes control of Greenland to the U.S., then America would be very appreciative, but if NATO denies Trump’s wishes, America will remember. He also said that if he chose to use force, the U.S. would be unstoppable, but he doesn’t want to use force. Trump also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, who criticized Trump earlier in the day, calling his tariffs ‘unacceptable’. Trump claimed that France has been ‘screwing’ the U.S. for years via trade.

Trump also threw some shade at Canada and Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had urged countries to band together to circumvent the U.S. as a trade partner the day before. Trump claimed that Canada only exists because the United States allows it to do so. He ended the comments with a threat to Carney, stating, imploring Carney to remember that Canada lives because of America, and encouraging him to think about that fact before making statements. In general, Trump made a fool of himself in Davos and still managed to move forward with American intervention in the Arctic.