Trump Says Greenland Talks Have a “Framework” and Drops Planned Europe Tariffs

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, President Donald Trump said he had reached a “framework” for a future deal related to Greenland and the broader Arctic region, and said he would drop planned tariffs on Europe. He said discussions were underway with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about Arctic security and that the proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system was part of talks “as it pertains to Greenland.” Trump did not provide detailed terms and did not say whether any arrangement would involve U.S. ownership of Greenland. Trump touts Greenland deal ‘fra…

Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said the United States would not “own” Greenland and called that position a “red line.” A NATO spokeswoman, Allison Hart, said the discussions would focus on Arctic security and involve Denmark, Greenland, and the United States, including talks intended to ensure Russia and China do not gain an economic or military foothold in Greenland. Trump touts Greenland deal ‘fra…

Earlier the same day, Trump told the Davos audience he wanted “immediate negotiations” over the United States acquiring Greenland and said he would not use military force, while indicating he could use economic and diplomatic pressure.

After Trump’s Davos remarks, the European Parliament suspended ratification of an E.U.-U.S. trade deal reached last year, with Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament’s trade committee, citing U.S. threats toward Denmark and Greenland and the use of tariffs as leverage. The article said it was not immediately clear whether Trump’s later move to drop the tariff plan would change the Parliament’s posture.

The article described the pending trade deal as one that would eliminate European tariffs on U.S. industrial goods while leaving European products facing a 15% tariff imposed by Trump, and noted the European Union as the United States’ largest trading partner with roughly $1 trillion in two-way goods trade each year.

Danish officials had proposed a NATO mission to Greenland in a meeting with Rutte on Monday, according to the article. It also reported that Danish and NATO diplomats had signaled openness to expanding U.S. troop or base presence in Greenland and to investment in mineral extraction.

The article also reported that, as markets reacted to U.S.-NATO tensions, U.S. stock index futures moved higher after Trump said he would not invade Greenland.