US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 21, again said that he solved conflicts between India and Pakistan last year after he took office as President of the United States of America. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos in Switzerland, he claimed that he stopped no less than eight wars, including Operation Sindhoor by India and the Ukraine-Russia wars.
Givinga review in his speech at Davos for the first year back in the White House, Trump claimed to have already settled eight international conflicts, including long-standing disputes between India and Pakistan, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"Vladimir Putin called me; he said, 'I can't believe you settled that one,'" Trump remarked, referring to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. He touted these "one-day settlements" as evidence of his diplomatic efficiency, contrasting them with his ongoing efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
While addressing the WEF in Davos, Trump said the US needs Greenland, which he said was not land but a massive piece of ice, for strategic reasons as it lies between the US, China and Russia.
Trump has intensified his campaign to acquire Greenland, revealing plans to transform the Arctic island into a cornerstone of a multi-national missile defence system. Speaking on the first anniversary of his second inauguration, the President positioned the acquisition as a non-negotiable requirement for Western security, while simultaneously lambasting NATO allies and Canada for failing to "appreciate" American protection.
Amidst rising concerns from Denmark and the European Union regarding a potential "military invasion" of the Arctic territory, Trump sought to downplay the possibility of armed conflict. He insisted that while the US possesses "unstoppable" strength, he has no intention of using excessive force to secure the island.
"I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force," he stated, though he maintained that Denmark should "respectfully" return the land to US control. He framed the request as a return to a historical status quo, claiming the US held the territory as a "trustee" following World War II.
The ‘Golden Dome’ Strategy
The President's keynote speech centred on the construction of a "Golden Dome"—an expansive missile shield inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome. Trump argued that US ownership of Greenland is a legal and psychological necessity to defend the Western Hemisphere against "dangerous potential enemies."
"You need the ownership to defend it. You can’t defend it on a lease," the President told a muted audience of global leaders. He asserted that the island would host a sophisticated defence network protecting not only the United States but also Canada, despite what he described as a lack of gratitude from America’s northern neighbour. "Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that," he added, in a direct swipe at the Canadian leadership.
The address featured a sharp critique of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump claimed that before his return to office, the US was bearing "virtually 100%" of the alliance's costs. He boasted of forcing a shift in spending, asserting that he has successfully pushed member nations to contribute 5% of their GDP toward defence—a significant increase from the long-standing 2% target.
The President expressed frustration over the continued financial burden on the US, questioning what the nation gains from its involvement in Europe "other than death, destruction, and massive amounts of cash going to people who don't appreciate what we do."