US President Donald Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the United States would not use force to take Greenland, saying Washington wanted “immediate negotiations” on the purchase plan instead. The remarks were made on January 21, 2026 in Switzerland and marked a clear shift from his earlier refusal to rule out military action. Markets reacted quickly: gold moved lower, while Bitcoin pushed higher.
Trump calls Greenland strategically important to US security
In his speech, Trump described Greenland as “part of North America” and said the island carried major strategic value for both US national security and global security. He called it a “cold piece of land,” but argued that its position was critical and that it could serve “world peace and protection.” He also framed the proposal as “a very small ask” compared with what the US has contributed to NATO over the years.
Trump also criticized Denmark, saying it had failed to defend or invest in Greenland effectively. He referred to Denmark’s rapid fall during World War II as part of his argument that the US, not Denmark, had the capacity to protect the island. The rhetoric remained sharp. On the use-of-force question, though, he drew a line.
Direct rejection of military action marks a softer stance
Addressing concerns that the US might try to seize Greenland by force, Trump said in Davos: “I will not use force. I do not want to use violence.” He repeated that the US wanted “immediate negotiations.” He added that if the other side refused to cooperate, the US would “remember,” while insisting that this was not a threat to NATO and would instead make the alliance safer. He also urged European countries to cooperate.
Only days earlier, Trump had repeatedly declined to remove military action from the table. He had also threatened tariffs on European countries that did not support the plan and posted an image saying Greenland would become US territory in 2026. Against that backdrop, the Davos comments pointed to a noticeable moderation in tone, with negotiations replacing direct pressure as the main message.
Gold slips on easing tension while crypto prices rebound
Markets swung soon after the remarks. Gold fell by about $40 in short-term trading, with the latest quoted price at roughly $4,845 per ounce. The report said the move reflected a temporary drop in safe-haven demand after geopolitical tension appeared to ease, even though gold remained broadly strong.
Crypto assets moved the other way. Bitcoin rose 0.8% in about one hour, briefly climbing above $89,000 and trading at $89,600. Ether also bounced and moved close to $3,000. Price action across the session showed how quickly Trump’s latest Greenland comments fed into macro sentiment and risk assets.