Trump speaking at the Davos Forum [Davos, Switzerland, Reuters=Yonhap News]

In a speech delivered in the heart of Europe on January 21 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed his intention to make Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, an American territory, declaring his "immediate hope for negotiations" and a stance of "no use of force."

Entering the second year of his second term, he highlighted his accomplishments over the past year, criticized Western European allies, America's closest friends, for heading in the wrong direction under progressive and leftist ideologies, and reiterated his will to resolve global conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Gaza.

President Trump dedicated a significant portion of his hour-and-20-minute speech at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), also known as the Davos Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, to explaining the rationale behind his ambition to acquire Greenland.

"No country other than the United States is in a position to keep Greenland safe," he emphasized.

Revealing his ambition to annex Greenland once again before leaders and economic figures from major European nations, he stated that Greenland, rich in rare earth elements, is a "strategic hub" situated between China and Russia, adversaries, and that it is "part of the North American continent and our territory in the northernmost part of the Western Hemisphere."

President Trump further asserted that the United States' acquisition of Greenland would not only serve America's core security interests but also align with international security surrounding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), explaining, "That is why I am pursuing immediate negotiations to discuss the issue of reacquiring Greenland," expressing his hope for early negotiations with Denmark.

He criticized Denmark, which rejected his demand, as "ungrateful," and also told Canada that it should "be thankful to the United States" as it would benefit from the planned construction of the next-generation missile defense system, the "Globe System," in Greenland.

However, he stated, "I do not want to use force, and I will not," ruling out the option of using military force to secure Greenland.

This is the first time President Trump has publicly stated he would not use force in the process of acquiring Greenland, a move seen as a consideration of concerns within the U.S. and strong European opposition that NATO could face an existential crisis if the U.S., a leading NATO member, were to forcibly seize Greenland, a territory of NATO member Denmark. After the speech, President Trump reiterated in a summit meeting with Egypt, "The use of military force is not on the table. It will not be necessary."

President Trump also emphasized, "What we are asking for is full ownership and rights of Greenland. We cannot defend it with a lease," he stressed.

He specifically addressed Europe, saying, "They can choose. If they say 'yes' (to the U.S. acquisition of Greenland), we will be very grateful, but if they say 'no,' we will remember," hinting at strong retaliatory measures such as tariffs.

President Trump listed his administration's achievements over the past two years, including tariff policies, reduction of federal personnel and organizations, revitalization of manufacturing and energy industries, and support for artificial intelligence (AI), calling it an "economic miracle." He then heavily criticized Europe, stating, "They are not going in the right direction," and "Certain parts of Europe are no longer recognizable."

He pointed to the pro-environmental and pro-immigration policies led by progressive governments in Europe, saying, "This was the path that the sleepy Joe Biden administration and many Western governments have foolishly followed. Frankly, much of our world is being destroyed before our very eyes."

President Trump also mentioned new trade agreements with major trading partners such as South Korea as one of the achievements of his administration in its second term.

"We have concluded historic trade agreements with partner countries that account for 40% of America's total trade. European countries, Japan, and Korea are our partners," he said.

In a subsequent dialogue on the same stage after his speech, President Trump emphasized his determination to resolve conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza.

He pressured Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stating, "They are at a point where they can come together and reach an agreement. If they don't, they are foolish."

President Trump stressed the difficulty of resolution, describing mediation between the two sides as "a very difficult balancing act," and mentioned that he was scheduled to meet with President Zelensky that day.

Regarding the war in Gaza, he stated, "I believe we have achieved peace in the Middle East" due to his peace initiative.

As a crucial step in the second phase of his peace initiative, he is urging countries worldwide to participate in the Gaza Peace Committee, which he chairs, and a "Signing Ceremony for the Charter of the Peace Committee" is scheduled to be held in Davos on the 22nd.

Regarding the disarmament of Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, which is seen as a potential obstacle to the second phase of his peace initiative, President Trump strongly pressured Hamas, stating, "In the next two to three days, certainly within three weeks, we will know whether they will do it or not. If they don't, they will be destroyed very quickly."