Trump demands Greenland in speech to world leaders: 'It's a very small ask'

President Donald Trump demanded control of Greenland during his speech to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The 79-year-old president pledged not to take the Danish territory by force but asked for control of the world's largest island, which he insists is necessary to secure U.S. national security.

"But now what I'm asking for isa piece of ice, cold and poorlylocated, that can play a vitalrole in world peace and worldprotection," Trump said. "It's a very smallask compared to what we havegiven them for many, manydecades. But the problem withNATO is that we'll be there forthem 100 percent, but I'm not sure thatthey'll be there for us if wegave them the call. 'Gentlemen,we are being attacked, we'reunder attack by such-and-such anation.' I know them all verywell, I'm not sure that they'dbe there. I know we'd be therefor them, I don't know thatthey'd be there for us."

NATO invoked Article 5 of its charter for the first and only time in its history on Sept. 12, 2001, and all 18 member nations agreed to support the U.S. response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and more than 4,800 service members from coalition countries were killed in Iraq and more than 3,500 were lost in Afghanistan.

"So withall of the money we expend, withall of the blood, sweat andtears, I don't know that they'dbe there for us," Trump said, and then appeared to mix up the island he wanted to control. "They're notthere for us on Iceland, that Ican tell you. I mean, our stockmarket took the first dipyesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us alot of money. But that dip ispeanuts compared to what it'sgone up, and we have anunbelievable future in thatstock. That stock market isgoing to be doubled. We're goingto hit 50,000 and that stockmarket's going to double in arelatively short period of timebecause of everything that'shappening."

The president then complained at length about defense spending by NATO and European nations before renewing his request for control of Greenland.

"So we want a piece of icefor world protection, and theywon't give it," Trump said. "We've neverasked for anything else, and wecould have kept that piece ofland and we didn't. So they havea choice. You can say yes, andwe will be very appreciative. Oryou can say no and we willremember a strong and secure America means a strong NATO, andthat's one reason why I'mworking every day to ensure ourmilitary is very powerful, ourborders are very strong, andabove all, our economy is strongbecause national securityrequires economic security andeconomic prosperity."

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