Trump says ‘framework of a future deal’ discussed on Greenland as he drops tariffs threat

President Donald Trump said the United States is exploring a possible deal on Greenland after talks with NATO, as he backed off his threats to impose tariffs on European allies who opposed his plans for an American takeover of the island.

On social media, Trump offered few details about the discussion, which he and NATO described as “very productive.”

After rocking the trans-Atlantic alliance with weeks of rhetoric, the US president said the meeting had led to a “framework” for a potential agreement.

But there was no sign of an agreement that might meet Trump’s demand for “ownership” of Greenland, an ambition he reaffirmed at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, while also ruling out military force.

“We have formed a framework for a future agreement with regard to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic region,” the US President said on Truth Social on Wednesday.

He added, “This solution, if implemented, will be a great solution for the United States of America, and for all NATO countries.”

Diplomatic sources told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that there was no agreement for US control or ownership of the autonomous Danish region.

Trump added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff “will report directly” to him, as negotiations continue.

“Today ends better than it started,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a statement.

He added: “Now, let us sit down and figure out how we can address American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark.”

In the hours that followed, some details leaked out.

After meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Swiss Alpine resort, Trump told reporters that the potential deal could include mining rights.

He also said European allies could work together on another Trump plan to reach a deal Golden Dome Defense System To protect the United States from long-range missile attacks.

In addition to Greenland’s strategic location, the United States has spoken of the island’s vast – and largely unexploited – reserves of rare earth minerals, many of which are critical to technologies including cell phones and electric cars.

“It’s the final, long-term agreement,” Trump told reporters. “It puts everyone in a really good position, especially in terms of security and minerals.

“It’s a forever deal.”

The NATO Secretary General said he did not discuss the main issue of Danish sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with Trump.

“The issue is no longer raised in my conversations tonight with the president,” Rutte told Fox News.

Trump previously rejected the idea of ​​leasing Greenland, saying: “You are defending ownership. You are not defending leases.”

“Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States will move forward with the aim of ensuring that Russia and China do not gain a foothold – economic or military – in Greenland,” NATO spokeswoman Alison Hart said in a statement after the meeting between Trump and Rota.

However, a Greenlandic lawmaker in the Danish parliament questioned why NATO would share the island’s mineral wealth.

“NATO in no way has the right to negotiate anything without us, Greenland. Nothing is about us without us,” Aja Chinmetz said.

According to American media, the potential plan may allow the United States to build more military bases on the territory.

Officials who attended Wednesday’s NATO meeting told the New York Times that the model of the proposed arrangement could be similar to British bases in Cyprus, which is part of Britain’s Overseas Territories.

Under existing agreements with Denmark, the United States can bring as many troops to Greenland as it wants. It already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at the Petovik base in the northwestern tip of the province.

Trump had been threatening to impose a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” sent from the UK to the US from February 1, increasing to 25% from June 1, until an agreement was reached that Washington would buy Greenland from Denmark.

The same would have applied to goods coming from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland – all members of NATO, the defense alliance founded in 1949.

But the US President abandoned talk of a trade war after meeting with Rutte.

Trump said in a blog post on the Truth Social website: “Based on this understanding, I will not impose the tariffs that were scheduled to take effect on February 1.”

In his first speech in six years to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Trump said he “seeks immediate negotiations” to acquire Greenland, but insisted the United States would not seize the region by force.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive force,” Trump said. “We won’t be stopped, but we won’t.” “You don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

He also urged world leaders to allow the United States to take control of Greenland from Denmark, saying: “You can say yes and we will be very grateful. Or you can say no and we will remember.”

In his speech in Davos the day before, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Trump’s previous threat to impose taxes on imports.

He said the “endless accumulation of new tariffs” from the United States is “fundamentally unacceptable.”

Macron was among those who urged the European Union to consider retaliatory options against the new US tariffs.

In his speech, Trump targeted Macron, saying that France had been “deceiving” the United States for decades.

The US President also criticized Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who urged “middle powers” such as Australia, Argentina and his country to unite when he delivered a speech in Davos the previous day.

In response, the US President accused Carney of being ungrateful to the United States.

“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said. “Remember that, Mark, next time you make a statement.”