Thu, 22 Jan 2026

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 Trump says 'framework of a future deal' discussed on Greenland as he backs off tariffs threat

At Davos, the US president said he would not use force to take the island and later floated a possible "forever" deal.
US President Donald Trump has announced that his country is exploring a potential deal with Nato and Denmark regarding Greenland, after backing down from threats to impose tariffs on European allies. Following talks between Trump and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, both parties described the discussion as "very productive". The US president said that a framework for a future agreement had been established, which would benefit the US and all Nato nations. However, there is no indication of an agreement that would grant the US control or ownership of Greenland. Instead, the potential deal may involve sharing mineral rights on the island, which has vast reserves of rare earth minerals crucial for technologies such as mobile phones and electric vehicles. Trump had previously threatened to impose tariffs on goods from European countries unless a deal was reached for the US to purchase Greenland from Denmark. However, he abandoned these plans after meeting with Rutte, stating that he would not impose the scheduled tariffs. The Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed the development and expressed willingness to negotiate a solution that addresses American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting Danish sovereignty over Greenland. It is unclear what exactly the US wants from Greenland, but it has been suggested that the potential deal could allow for more military bases on the territory. Some officials have likened the proposed arrangement to existing agreements between Denmark and the UK regarding British Overseas Territories such as Cyprus.
  >>