US President Donald Trump is heading to Davos for a tense encounter with European leaders as his push to take control of Greenland deepens strains across the Atlantic.
Trump’s arrival at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday was delayed after a “minor electrical issue” forced his presidential jet to turn back shortly after takeoff. Ahead of the trip, he mocked European leaders over the future of the autonomous Danish territory, even as opposition to his stance hardened in Davos.
Leaders at the Swiss resort closed ranks against Washington, with French President Emmanuel Macron pledging to stand up to “bullies” and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warning that the world was facing a “rupture, not a transition” in the US-led global order. Their united front drew a sharp response from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who urged Europeans to “take a deep breath” and avoid what he described as reflexive anger.
Trump, who was scheduled to address the forum at 2:30 pm (1330 GMT), is expected to arrive about three hours late after switching planes. Bessent said the president wanted European leaders to hear his arguments on Greenland directly.
The president has said he plans to hold several meetings on Greenland in Davos, as his interest in the mineral-rich island threatens to create the most serious rift between Washington and Europe in decades. Asked how far he was willing to go to acquire Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally, Trump replied: “You’ll find out,” adding that he had “no idea” how the Davos trip would unfold.
Trump argues that Greenland is strategically vital for US and NATO security against Russia and China, particularly as melting Arctic ice opens new routes and resources. He has intensified pressure by threatening tariffs of up to 25 percent on eight European countries supporting Denmark, prompting Europe to warn of countermeasures.
Dismissing European threats of trade retaliation, Trump said any response would “ricochet backward,” while expressing confidence that a deal could still be reached in the coming days.
At Davos on Tuesday, Macron warned against attempts to “subordinate Europe” and condemned Trump’s tariff threats as unacceptable. France also called for a NATO military exercise in Greenland and signalled its readiness to take part. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that US-EU relations risked sliding into a “downward spiral.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has sought to reduce his country’s reliance on Washington after Trump suggested Canada should become the 51st US state, received a standing ovation after warning that global governance was entering an era of intensifying great-power rivalry.
While the White House said Trump’s Davos speech would focus on the US economy and cost-of-living pressures ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Greenland is expected to loom large in the background. Greenland’s prime minister said the island’s population of about 57,000 must be prepared for the possibility of military force.
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On Thursday, Trump is also expected to formally announce the first charter of his proposed “Board of Peace,” a $1 billion initiative aimed at resolving international conflicts. Although initially linked to Gaza’s reconstruction, a draft of the charter does not limit the board’s mandate to the Palestinian territory.