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By Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday backed away from threatened tariffs on eight European countries that he had tied to demands for U.S. control of Greenland, a sharp reversal that came shortly after he said he wanted the island “including right, title and ownership.”
In a post on his social media platform, Trump said he had reached agreement with NATO’s secretary-general on what he described as a “framework of a future deal” focused on Arctic security, a move that appeared to ease tensions with U.S. allies and avert a dispute with broad geopolitical implications.
Trump Announces 'Long-Term Deal' for Greenland: What We Know
Trump said “additional discussions” were underway regarding Greenland and the proposed Golden Dome missile defense program, a multilayered system estimated to cost $175 billion that would, for the first time, place U.S. weapons in space. He did not provide details, saying negotiations were ongoing.
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One option discussed by NATO members as part of a potential compromise, according to a European official familiar with the talks, is for Denmark and the alliance to work with the United States to expand U.S. military presence in Greenland, including the construction of additional bases.
The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not immediately clear whether that proposal was part of the framework Trump referenced.
Speaking to reporters after his Truth Social post, Trump said that the deal was "infinite" and gets the U.S. "everything we wanted."
When asked if it includes the U.S. having "ownership" of Greenland, Trump paused and said, "It's a long-term deal ... the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals."
Trump told CNBC that he reached what he described as a “concept of a deal” related to Greenland.
In an interview with the network, Trump said the framework would involve cooperation between the U.S. and Europe on missile defense, as well as mineral rights in Greenland.
“They’re going to be involved in the Golden Dome, and they’re going to be involved in mineral rights, and so are we,” he said. Asked how long the agreement would last, Trump replied, “Forever.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Fox News that he and President Donald Trump had not discussed the U.S. taking control of Greenland during their Davos meeting.
“That issue did not come up any more in my conversation” he said on Wednesday evening. Trump had announced that he and Rutte had outlined a deal for Greenland and the "entire Arctic Region" during their talks in Switzerland on Wednesday.
Rutte did not elaborate on the deal framework but said that he had agreed with Trump that "collectively we have to protect the Arctic regions."
“He is very much focused on, what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region — where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and Russians are more and more active — how we can protect it. That was really the focus of our discussions," Rutte said.
“But also, of course, the U.S. continue its conversations with Greenland and Denmark when it comes to how can we make sure that the Russians and China will not gain access to the economy or a military sense of Greenland?” Rutte added.
Why Has Trump Wanted to Buy Greenland?
The reversal came shortly after Trump doubled down on his longstanding insistence that the United States must gain control of Greenland, saying he wanted “right, title and ownership” of the island but would not use military force to achieve it. Speaking earlier at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump derided European allies and suggested NATO should not interfere with what he portrayed as legitimate U.S. expansion driven by national security needs.
In remarks that drew swift reaction across Europe, Trump described Greenland as “cold and poorly located” while arguing that the United States had historically borne the burden of defending the continent. He framed his demand as modest compared with what he said the U.S. had given its allies over decades.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable,” Trump said, before adding that he would not pursue that path. “I don’t have to. I don’t want to use force.”
Trump has often used aggressive rhetoric as leverage in negotiations, and his comments appeared calibrated to increase pressure ahead of the Davos gathering, where global leaders were already grappling with rising geopolitical tensions. The remarks raised alarm about the stability of NATO, one of the world’s longest-standing military alliances.
Founded during the Cold War to counter the Soviet Union, NATO has consistently maintained that Greenland is not for sale and that Denmark’s sovereignty must be respected. Danish officials reiterated that position following Trump’s comments, even as they signaled openness to discussing U.S. security concerns over Russia and China in the Arctic.
A Danish government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told the Associated Press that Copenhagen is willing to engage on defense cooperation but stressed that Denmark’s “red lines” remain firm.
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Greenland’s government, meanwhile, urged residents to be prepared amid the heightened rhetoric. Officials released a public handbook outlining steps citizens should take during a crisis, including stockpiling food, water and fuel sufficient to last five days.
“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” said Tony Jakobsen, a resident of the Greenlandic capital Nuuk, pointing to bags filled with candles, snacks and household necessities. Jakobsen said he had initially dismissed Trump’s statements as bluster but decided it was prudent to prepare.
Trump has long argued that U.S. control of Greenland is essential to counter growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, despite the United States already maintaining a major military presence on the island. On Wednesday, he again warned allies against blocking U.S. ambitions.
“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”
Trump later called for “immediate negotiations” over Greenland, declining to specify a price and instead framing the issue as one of global security rather than money.
Updates: 1/21/26, 6 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 1/21/26, 7:46 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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