OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to talk about taking over Greenland as he prepares to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.
When asked directly about Canadian troops joining Danish sovereignty military exercises in Greenland, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday in Davos that Canada regularly takes part in NATO exercises.
She said that any additional military exercises would be up to the defence minister and the chief of the defence staff.
Anand did not name names when reporters asked her to cite the top threat facing Canada. She said only that the world has shifted “significantly” since her term as defence minister ended in 2023.
“As Canadians, we will continue to stand up for the true north strong and free, as we expect our allies, partners and all other countries to respect that sovereignty,” Anand said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney did not hesitate to identify China as the biggest security threat facing Canada during the federal leaders’ debate last year.
Carney spent last week in Beijing, where he struck trade agreements with President Xi Jinping to ease some agricultural tariffs and reopen the Canadian market to some Chinese electric vehicles, with conditions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday that Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European countries opposed to a U.S. takeover of Greenland is “a mistake” and brings up questions about the president’s trustworthiness after he promised last year not to impose further tariffs on EU nations.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Trump went on a posting blitz focused on Greenland on his social media platform, Truth Social.
His posts include an AI-generated photo of him meeting in the Oval Office with European leaders and a map of the Western Hemisphere that shows American flags over Greenland, Canada, Cuba and Venezuela.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the World Economic Forum Tuesday that Trump’s desire for Greenland is about national security.
“He believes that Greenland is essential to the Golden Dome missile shield,” Bessent said.
“As part of NATO, I think the president is worried that if there were an incursion into Greenland, the U.S. would be called upon to defend Greenland.”
Carney said Sunday he is “concerned” about the U.S. ratcheting up its rhetoric on Greenland and he would relay that message to Trump if he sees him in Davos.
The Prime Minister’s Office released a readout early Tuesday of a conversation between Carney and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday.
The readout says the two leaders reaffirmed their position that the future of Greenland is up to its people and Denmark. Carney also talked about military investments Canada is making for Arctic defence.
French President Emmanuel Macron said during his speech to the World Economic Forum on Tuesday that the U.S. is using trade agreements to weaken and subordinate Europe.
Macron said it’s unacceptable for countries to use trade as a weapon to extract territorial concessions — a nod toward Trump’s tariff threats against France and other nations.
Macron said “accepting a new colonial approach doesn’t make sense.”
He said that he plans to use France’s presidency of the G7 this year to foster co-operation among world powers and to show they can work together constructively.
Macron wore aviator sunglasses during his World Economic Forum speech, a style of shades favoured by former U.S. president Joe Biden. He has said publicly that he is battling a “harmless” eye condition.
Carney is scheduled to speak at the World Economic Forum later on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2026.
— with files from The Associated Press
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
