President Trump said that he wants to build the “greatest Golden Dome” - a missile defence system - over Greenland to protect Nato, according to the Irish Times.
Addressing world leaders at the economic forum in Davos, he said that if there were to be a nuclear war, “those missiles will be flying right over the centre of that piece of ice”, referring to Greenland.
Trump said the installation of the dome would also protect Canada, as “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us” and prime minister Mark Carney should be “grateful”.
Trump also said Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu should not claim credit for the Golden Dome technology, as it is American.
Previously, during the address, Trump said that he wants Greenland but won't "use force".
Addressing Mark Rutte, secretary general of Nato, Trump said: “Hello, Mark, [the US] never asked for anything, and we never got anything. We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won’t do that.”
“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.
“All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago, after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and others in World War Two, we gave it back to them.”
He also said that he was going to enter "immediate negotiations" to acquire Greenland, as the US is the only country “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”.
"I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition in Greenland by the United States," he said.
Trump began his speech by criticising Europe.
In his opening remarks, he said it was “great to be back in beautiful Davos, Switzerland and to address so many respected business leaders, so many friends, a few enemies.”
The president echoed criticisms he had made of Europe in his United Nations address last year and his administration’s latest national security statements.
“I love Europe and I want to see Europe go good, but it’s not heading in the right direction,” he said.
Trump told the audience at Davos that certain places in Europe are not recognisable any more, adding that a focus on green energy and mass migration has hurt the continent.
Mr Trump touted economic growth in the US, using many of his characteristic superlatives that exaggerate circumstances on the ground.
“The USA is the economic engine on the planet,” Trump said. “You all follow us down, and you follow us up.”
Trump also said he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, adding that he believed both the Ukrainian leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to end the nearly four-year-old war.
Speaking about the Russia-Ukraine, Trump described it as “a war that should have never started”, adding “it wouldn’t have started if the 2020 US presidential election weren’t rigged”.
Trump again claimed he has settled a number of wars while in office, including the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, mispronouncing the latter.
On Nato, Trump said the US has never asked Nato for anything, but is expected to protect countries such as Ukraine. He described it was a "one-way street".
Trump said the US has never asked Nato for anything but is expected to protect other countries such as Ukraine, describing the situation as “a one-way street”.
“Now what I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and poorly located, that can play a vital role in world peace and world protection," he said.
"It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”
On Venezuela, Trump said the country is going to make more money and will do fantastically well. He also said the US is helping Venezuela.
Trump also told the World Economic Forum that the US is very much into nuclear energy.
Trump spoke for over an hour during the address at Davos.
Ending the speech, Trump said: "I always say I have to cherish our brilliant people because there aren't many of them."
"We're in a position to do things that we have never done before."
"The United States is back. Bigger, stronger and better than ever before. I'll see you around."
Additional reporting by PA
