The Japan Times - Trump heads for Davos maelstrom over Greenland

Trump brutally mocked the Europeans a day before heading to the World Economic Forum, where he will be the star of a dark, self-made drama over the fate of the autonomous Danish territory.

But leaders in the Swiss ski resort have closed ranks against Trump's aggressive America First stance, with French President Emmanuel Macron vowing to stand up against "bullies" and the EU promising an "unflinching" response.

"I'm going to a beautiful place in Switzerland where I'm sure I'm very happily awaited for," Trump said with a smile at a White House briefing to mark his first year back in power, before leaving for Davos.

Asked how far he was prepared to go to acquire Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO member, Trump replied: "You'll find out."

Trump's eagerly awaited speech at the annual gathering of the world's economic and political elite, which he is attending for the first time in six years, is scheduled for 2:30pm (1330 GMT).

But as the biggest rift opens between Washington and Europe in decades over his Greenland ambitions, Trump said he would have a number of meetings on the issue at Davos.

- 'Downward spiral' -

Trump insists that mineral-rich Greenland is vital for US and NATO security against Russia and China as a melting Arctic opens up and the superpowers jostle for strategic advancement.

He has turned up the pressure by threatening tariffs of up to 25 percent on eight European countries for backing Denmark, prompting Europe to threaten countermeasures against the United States.

At Davos on Tuesday, Macron, in sunglasses because of a burst blood vessel, warned against US attempts to "subordinate Europe", and blasted Trump's tariff threats as "unacceptable."

Macron was the subject of Trump's mockery as he publicly revealed a text message from the French leader proposing a G7 summit in Paris on Thursday on Greenland as well as Ukraine.

Trump later said he would not join any such meeting, while Macron clarified to AFP that no gathering was scheduled.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meanwhile warned that Trump risked plunging US ties with the European Union into a "downward spiral".

And Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney -- who has sought to reduce his own country's dependence on Washington since Trump called for it to become the 51st US state -- won a standing ovation at Davos for his stance.

"Canada stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark," Carney said.

In his Davos speech, the White House said Trump wanted to focus on the US economy amid a cost of living crisis that threatens his Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

But the US president's extraordinary assertion of US power on the world stage one year into his second term means Greenland will form the backdrop to the address.

- 'End of NATO' -

Greenland's prime minister said on Tuesday his tiny population of 57,000 must be prepared for military force.

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda told AFP at Davos that any such move by the United States against a fellow ally "would be the end of NATO."

Trump said on Tuesday that he had done "more for NATO than anyone" and questioned whether allies would help the United States -- despite the fact that Denmark was among those who did after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Republican senator Thom Tillis, a member of a bipartisan US Congress delegation that has visited Copenhagen and Davos, told AFP however about the row: "I think it de-escalates over time."

On Thursday, meanwhile, Trump is set to formally announce the first charter of his so-called "Board of Peace," a body for resolving international conflicts with a $1 billion price tag for permanent membership.

The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, but a draft of the charter seen by AFP does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory.

Trump's invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin has caused particular consternation among US allies due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has gloated over the Greenland row, while sending a senior Putin envoy to meet US officials on Ukraine in Davos.

S.Suzuki--JT