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WELL, THAT WAS something.
US President Donald Trump went just the 30 minutes over his allocated time during a rambling speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this afternoon.
During the course of his speech, he insulted a number of world leaders, doubled down on his plans to take over Greenland and falsely claimed that NATO “did nothing” for the US.
He also claimed that the more windmills a country has, “the more money a country loses”.
It was a lot to take in – here’s some of the standout moments to catch you up.
Much of Trump’s 70-plus-minute speech revolved around his goal to acquire Greenland.
Trump branded Denmark and Greenland “ungrateful” during his speech in Davos.
Harkening back to World War Two, when the US occupied Greenland during the German invasion of Denmark, Trump said that the US “felt an obligation to do it” at the time.
“We did it at great cost and expense,” Trump said.
Then, lurching into language popularised by English football fans and US tourists, Trump told the WEF that America won the Second World War.
Without us, you’d be speaking German and Japanese perhaps.
Trump also went on to say: “I have tremendous respect for the people of Greenland and Denmark, but every Nato members has the obligation to defend their own territory. Only the US can defend it [Greenland].”
The US President said that he wants to build the “greatest Golden Dome” – a missile defence system – over Greenland to protect Nato.
Trump also 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.
The US President went on to claim that Canada owes its continued existence to the United States, while calling out Prime Minister Mark Carney for delivering a speech that condemned coercion by great powers.
Carney delivered a stark speech yesterday, describing the end of the era underpinned by United States hegemony, calling the current phase “a rupture”.
The speech prompted global political and corporate leaders in the audience to rise from their seats for a rare standing ovation yesterday.
Speaking today, Trump repeated that he needs Greenland for his proposed “golden dome,” a missile defence system that could cover North America.
Trump said the dome will protect Canada due to geography and the country isn’t grateful enough that such a system is in the works.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said, adding a direct shot at Carney: “Remember that Mark, the next time you make your statement.”
Carney has been non-committal in the past about Canada participating in or paying for what Trump is floating.
While Trump said numerous times that he wants Greenland, he mentioned that the US won’t “use force” to acquire the territory.
He also said that the US never “got anything” from Nato, ignoring the fact that the US is the only Nato country to invoke Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, which it did after the 11 September attacks in 2001.
Directly addressing Mark Rutte, secretary general of Nato, in the crowd, 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,” Trump added.
He clarified that he still wants the territory, however.
Trump will no doubt generate headlines with his comments about Greenland, but on several occasions he appeared to confuse the name of the island in question.
Speaking of how perceptions of him had been good in Europe and among Nato allies, Trump said: “Until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me.”
He then said Nato was not there for the US – “and Iceland, I can tell you”.
Later, discussing how the US stock market had dipped after his recent threats to use military force in Greenland, he said: “The stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland.
So Iceland’s already cost us a lot of money, but that dip is peanuts compared to what it’s gone up.
He also referred to Greenland, which stretches over 2 million square kilometres and boasts a population of around 56,000 people, as a “piece of ice” no less than seven times during his address.
Trump also took a jab at French President Emmanuel Macron’s sunglasses during his rambling speech at Davos, joking, “what the hell happened?”.
Macron drew attention yesterday for wearing a pair of aviators while addressing delegates at the World Economic Forum. He did not explain why he was wearing the sunglasses during his speech.
Last week, Macron appeared at a military event in southern France with a red eye, but later clarified he had a “totally benign” and “completely insignificant” condition.
As Trump addressed the forum on Wednesday, he took aim at the French president’s eye condition and “those beautiful sunglasses”.
“I like him, I actually like him. Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Trump continued before he accused France of taking advantage of the US over prescription drugs for over 30 years, even throwing in an attempt at a French accent at one stage.
Trump said he had threatened the French president with additional tariffs as his country had refused to raise drug prices.
The war in Ukraine was also addressed during Trump’s speech.
Referring to both Russia and Ukraine, Trump said: ”They’ve got to get that war stopped because too many people are dying, needlessly dying”
“I’m dealing with President Putin and he wants to make a deal, I believe. I’m dealing with President Zelensky and I think he wants to make a deal. I’m meeting him today,” Trump said (he later clarified that this meeting is happening tomorrow).
“I believe [Putin and Zelenskyy] are at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done. And if they don’t, they’re stupid.”
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