Trump Refuses to Attack Greenland, Revokes Tariffs in Davos Speech

US President Donald Trump made some major statements at the World Economic Forum– here's exactly what he said in Davos and what implications they have for the US and the world.

Trump's speech was viewed in various different ways, but he addressed numerous topics over the course of an hour and 20 minutes, adding in elements of humor and even antagonism as he called out several nations and politicians in the audience.

He began the speech with assertions to Europe about their unwillingness to comply with his requests for Greenland and proclaimed that Europe has been taking advantage of the United States. Trump also claimed that Europe is "not even recognizable" due to poor immigration policies and economic decisions like investing in renewable energy, labeling their Green New Deal as the "Green New Scam."

However, debatably the most crucial part of Trump's speech came just after– his address over Greenland. Trump labeled Greenland as "our territory" and called it a "big, beautiful piece of ice" before referencing back to World War II. Trump stated that Denmark was unable to defend Greenland from the Germans and credited the Allies' win to the US: "Without us, right now you would all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps."

Nevertheless, he later confirmed that he would not use military force to take the island. Instead, he called for "immediate negotiations" and threatened Europe to agree to discuss– "You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember."

The announcement has major implications for what is one of the world's most powerful and influential alliances– one that, before the WEF, was on the brink of collapse. Trump had announced tariffs on several European allies alongside his military threats on Greenland, and the EU was considering the use of their "trade bazooka," an amalgamation of sweeping sanctions to prevent coercion.

Trump's speech sent US markets soaring after a plunge the day before, but Europeans remained irritated by his attempt to pressure them into giving up Greenland.

Trump also claimed that Europe and the US had reached a framework deal for future negotiations on the long-term ownership of Greenland, permitting him to revoke the tariffs announced several days ago. These tariffs were set to impact some of the United States' strongest allies, but their removal will allow markets to remain unburdened.

Europe, on the other hand, has halted the passage of a US-EU trade deal negotiated in July, maintaining support for Greenland. Lawmakers have declined to continue considering the deal until all threats on Greenland come to a stop.

As usual, throughout the speech, Trump mixed in dozens of his "accomplishments" and domestic policy changes since arriving at the head of the US government – some true statements, some false claims – and called out his predecessor, "Sleepy Joe Biden," numerous times.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Canada eats more macaroni and cheese per capita than any other nation in the world.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t confuse having a career with having a life. (Hillary Clinton)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Schmooze (verb, SHMOOZ) - To schmooze is to warmly chat with someone often in order to gain favor, business, or connections.

In a Sentence: The event provides an opportunity for local business owners to network and schmooze.

Image credit to AP