Did US give Greenland to Denmark after WW2? Fact-checking Trump's ‘stupid’ claim at Davos

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the US gave Greenland to Denmark after World War 2

Published on: Jan 21, 2026, 22:40:52 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the US gave Greenland to Denmark after World War 2. The claim was made during the 79-year-old's speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos amid tensions between Washington and Europe over Trump's plans to acquire Greenland.

Donald Trump speaks prior to a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's Federal President Guy Parmelin (via REUTERS)

Trump said the US was ‘stupid’ to return Greenland. “We gave back Greenland to Denmark after World War II. How stupid were we to do that, we did that,” he added.

The president stated that the US had fought to secure the Arctic territory during the war. “We fought for Denmark, to save it,” he said.

Did the United States give Greenland to Denmark?

No. Greenland has been under Danish control since the early 18th century and remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark to this day. The US has never owned or governed Greenland.

Timeline

- 1721: Denmark-Norway began colonizing Greenland.

- 1814: After the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark retained control (Treaty of Kiel).

- 1953: Greenland became an integral part of Denmark (no longer a colony).

- 1979: Home Rule Act granted Greenland self-government.

- 2009: Self-Government Act further increased autonomy (Greenland controls most internal affairs, Denmark handles defense and foreign policy).

The US has never transferred or given Greenland to Denmark because it was never American territory. However, the US has had a long-standing interest:

- 1941: During World War II, the US signed the Defense of Greenland Agreement with Denmark (in exile) to protect the island from German occupation. The US built military bases.

- 1946: President Harry Truman offered to buy Greenland for $100 million, but Denmark refused.

- 2019: President Trump publicly suggested the US purchase Greenland. Denmark rejected the idea again, calling it 'absurd'.

- 2026: Trump has again revived claims that US control of Greenland will bring global stability.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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