Is Iceland next? Trump's major blunder at Davos sparks buzz amid Greenland tensions

President Donald Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum, mistakenly referring to Greenland as Iceland.

Updated on: Jan 21, 2026, 22:42:37 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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President Donald Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, using the platform for urgent discussions regarding his plans to acquire Greenland. He, however, mistakenly conflated the self-governing Danish territory with an entirely different nation.

President Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum, discussing Greenland's acquisition but mistakenly referred to it as Iceland. He expressed frustration with NATO allies over control of the territory. (via REUTERS)

During his Davos speech, the 79-year-old President consistently misidentified Greenland as “Iceland”, a significantly smaller island located approximately 200 miles away. He expressed his frustration towards NATO allies for not relinquishing control of the territory.

“I know we’d be there for them. I don’t know that they’d be there for us with all of the money we expend, with all of the blood, sweat and tears… They’re not there for us on Iceland, I can tell you,” the POTUS said.

“Their stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland.”

Also Read: Trump trolls Macron's aviator sunglasses in Davos speech, audience bursts into laughter: Watch

Trump rejects idea of using military force to seize Greenland

The awkward mistake occurred during a lengthy speech in which a seemingly lethargic Trump appeared to dismiss the idea of employing military force to seize Greenland.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” he asserted in his address to world leaders.

“But I won’t do that. OK. Now everyone says, “Oh, good.” That’s probably the biggest statement, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

Also Read: Trump Davos speech: How long did US President speak at World Economic Forum?

Trump's remarks spark buzz

Meanwhile, the video of Trump's remarks in which he confused Greenland and Iceland has gone viral on social media platform X, garnering over 1 million views.

“I highly doubt you'll remember anything for long, my dude,” one person wrote, taking dig at Trump.

“There's no reason to think he wouldn't go for Iceland after Greenland,” another warned.

“The whole world is laughing at him, but the White House is busy celebrating his 1 yr anniversary like it’s an achievement,” a third user reacted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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