Trump Threatens Greenland's Acquisition in Davos Speech, EU Suspends Tariff Talks: 10 Big Claims

New Delhi: The world was on its toes as US President Donald Trump ranted on for more than an hour at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos. The speech, which carried several headline-grabbing claims by the US President, chief among them being his justification for acquiring Greenland, has kept global commentators sit up and anticipate what could be the United States' next course of action in a deeply fragmented, uncertain world, especially after the US ‘capture’ of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.

Here are the top 10 observations made by Trump, whose every executive order impacts global economy and whose tariffs-politics have greatly ruptured the world, ever since he came to power for the second time.

‘No Nation can secure Greenland, other than US’

Trump's speech at Davos reached its full crescendo when he went on to justify why the United States need Greenland and why it should not have given it up during Word War II in the first place.

“I have tremendous respect for people of Greenland and Denmark, but only US can secure Greenland,” he bluntly said.

“It's the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it's good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us. That's the reason I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have,” he said reasoning out his stance on Greenland.

‘Won’t Use Force To Acquire Greenland'

The greatest relief for most Europeans came when Trump specifically said that he will not be using any 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," Trump said, boasting of US' military power. However, the President said, “But I won't do that.” 

"Okay. Now everyone says, oh, good," he joked, adding, “That's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force.”

"I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force," he reiterated.

Nevertheless, the European Parliament decided to suspend its work on the European Union's trade deal with the US in protest at against Trump's demands to acquire the Arctic island and threats of tariffs on European allies who oppose his acquisition.

Europe Not Heading in the Right Direction

President Trump claimed that despite his “love” for Europe and his best wishes for the continent, he is afraid that it is “not heading in the right direction.” Trump said that he wants to see Europe to do well, but they are “destroying themselves.”

"Certain places in Europe are not even recognizable, frankly, anymore. We can argue about it, but there's no argument. I don't want to insult anybody and say, I don't recognise it and that's not in a positive way. That's in a very negative way. I love Europe, and I want to see Europe go good, but it's not heading in the right direction," Trump said.

Tearing into the Conservatives in Europe, Trump said, “Here in Europe, we’ve seen the fate that the radical left tried to impose upon America.”

US is ‘Economic Engine’ on the Planet

Trump said that the United States is the world's “economic engine,” claiming that “when America booms, the entire world booms.” 

“You all follow us down, and you follow us up,” he said, stressing that the world's economy is dependent on the US' performance. 

The President claimed that his controversial tariff policies and the “trade deals” the US struck thereafter, have helped in reviving the US economy which has now “completely eliminated” record inflation.

‘Venezuela To Make More Money in Six Months Than They Made in Six Years’

Trump justified his recent military intervention in Venezuela saying that the air strikes and the capture of President Maduro was essential. He criticised the South American country's previous policies and assured that Venezuela will do "fantastically well" in future.

"Venezuela has been an amazing place for so many years, but then it went bad with its policies. 20 years ago, it was a great country, and now it's got problems, but we're helping them and those 50 million barrels we're going to be splitting up with them, and they'll be making more money. Venezuela is going to do fantastically well. We've been giving great cooperation since the attack ended... Venezuela's going to make more money in the next six months than they've made in the last 20 years. Every major oil company is coming in with us. It's amazing. It's a beautiful thing to see. The leadership of the country has been very good," the American President said.

‘Canada Gets a Lot of Freebies From Us’

Speaking on it's neighbour, Canada, Trump said that it was getting a “lot of freebies”.

“Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should be grateful also, but they're not. I watched your Prime Minister yesterday. He wasn't so grateful. But they should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that Mark, the next time you make your statements,” he said.

The relationship between the Trump administration and Canada has been rocky ever with the former threatening to make the acquire Canada and make it its 51st state. US had also imposed several tariff measures against Canada, its traditional ally, in recent times.

Inherited Ukraine ‘Mess’

Speaking about the ongoing war in Ukraine, Trump said he has “inherited a mess”. Though he claimed credit for having stopped “eight wars”, he mentioned that he is making efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump argued that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is primarily Europe's responsibility. Trump repeated his claim that the war would not have happened if he had been president at the time. 

He said that the US has gained nothing “other than death, destruction, and massive amounts of cash going to people who don't appreciate what we do,” in its role in ending the war.

Trump even claimed that the United States is “very far way” and has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine.

“(I'm) talking about NATO, I'm taking about Europe. They have to work on Ukraine. We don't. The United States is very far away. We have a big, beautiful ocean separating us. We have nothing to do with it,” he said.

2020 Election Was Rigged

While making his point on US efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Trump said that the Russian war “wouldn’t have started” off if the 2020 US presidential election “weren’t rigged.”

Trump said that “everybody now knows that” the 2020 US presidential election was rigged, adding that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did.“

Not Sure If NATO Will be There For US

Trump blasted NATO saying that he has doubts if the transatlantic security alliance will come to US' help if the latter needed them.

"The problem with NATO is that we'll be there for them 100%," Trump said. “But I'm not sure that they'll be there for us.”

During remarks linked to his drive to acquire Greenland, Trump said that NATO members have a choice. "You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember," he said.

Claiming that the US is treated very unfairly by NATO, Trump said, “We give so much and we get so little in return. I've been a critic of NATO for many years. I've done more to help NATO than any other president by far. You wouldn't have NATO if I didn't get involved in my first term. The war with Ukraine is an example. It's a war that should have never started if the 2020 US presidential election weren't rigged. It was a rigged election. Everybody now knows that. They found out. People will soon be prosecuted for what they did.”

China Sells Windmills To Stupid People in Europe

Trump, who is known to be against climate talks and had even walked out of the Paris Peace Agreement on climate change in his first term, claimed that “stupid people” in Europe buy windmills, that are usually sold to them by the Chinese.

“China makes all windmills, but I can't see any there; they sell them to stupid people in Europe and make fortunes,” he said in his speech at Davos.

“Windmills kill birds, destroy landscapes; stupid people buy them,” he added.

ALSO READ: 'How Stupid Of Us To Give Back Greenland': Trump's World War II Reminder To Denmark At Davos, Issues Open Warning to NATO