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US President Donald Trump has backed off his confrontation with Europe over Greenland, dropping threats of tariffs and insisting he will not use force to take control of the Arctic island, a sudden change after weeks of pressure that shook NATO and rattled European capitals.
Speaking in Davos on Wednesday, Trump said he would pause planned trade penalties after reaching a loose “framework” with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Greenland and Arctic security.
What’s in the framework remains unclear. Trump said talks covered “security and minerals,” while Rutte stressed the focus was on protecting the Arctic, not changing borders.
NATO later underlined that point, saying there was no discussion of sovereignty and that Denmark, Greenland and the United States would continue talks aimed at keeping Russia and China from gaining a foothold in the region.
The de-escalation follows weeks of sharp rhetoric from Trump, who had threatened tariffs of up to 25 percent on Denmark and other European countries and openly floated US control of Greenland.
On Wednesday, the tone shifted.
“I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” Trump said, while still arguing the island is critical to US security.
Denmark welcomed the pause but made its red line clear. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Greenland is “not for sale,” even as he praised the decision to drop the tariff threats.
While Greenland dominated the headlines, Trump also used Davos to push a second, high-profile initiative focused on Gaza.
On Thursday, the US president is expected to sign the first charter of the “Board of Peace for Gaza,” a body aimed at managing conflict resolution and post-war rebuilding in the territory. Permanent membership reportedly comes with a $1 billion price tag.
According to the White House, around 35 leaders have agreed to join, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan, along with NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Other participants include Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Vietnam.
Trump has also invited Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to attend the signing ceremony, alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a pairing likely to attract attention given the long-standing Cyprus dispute.
For now, Trump’s retreat on Greenland has cooled a growing transatlantic crisis. Whether his Gaza peace plan gains traction or joins the long list of big Davos ideas remains to be seen.
*With information from Al Jazeera, Reuters
