TL:DR – Fact-Checking Donald Trump’s Davos Speech: Claims Reviewed for Accuracy
- Donald Trump addressed diplomats at the World Economic Forum in Davos, criticising Europe and highlighting his key achievements.
- He made controversial claims, including that the US “gave back” Greenland, which is misleading as it was never owned by the US.
- Trump’s assertion that China has no wind farms is false; China leads globally in wind farm capacity.
- He also exaggerated US investment figures and claimed to have ended eight wars, despite ongoing regional conflicts.
Donald Trump fact check: All the claims he made during his Davos speech | News World
Trump gave an address to hundreds of diplomats at Davos (Picture: AFP)
Donald Trump took to the stage in Davos and began his speech by criticizing Europe and making numerous claims about his first year as President.
The US president delivered a lengthy address to the World Economic Forum, where he touched on Greenland, investment, and how he ‘ended eight wars’.
His remarks are under intense scrutiny on the world stage as tensions with Greenland and NATO increase while Trump aims to ‘buy’ the Danish territory.
WTX News has fact-checked many of the President’s claims and explored others he shared on the global stage.
America ‘Gave Back’ Greenland to Denmark
One of Trump’s claims was that the United States ‘gave Greenland back to Denmark’—which is misleading.
The United States has never owned or had the right to own Greenland. It was first colonized by Denmark in the 1700s, and since the 1930s, it has had sovereignty over Greenland.
Trump may have been alluding to the brief period when the US took over Greenland’s defense during World War Two, building military bases on the island. But after the war ended, the responsibility for Greenland returned to Denmark—a fact the US accepted.
‘China Has No Wind Farms’ Is a False Statement
Trump stated at Davos: ‘China makes almost all of the windmills, and yet, I haven’t been able to find any wind farms in China.’
This is incorrect. China ranks number one globally for wind farm capacity and has more plans to expand its capabilities than any other country.
Trump’s Assertion About NATO’s Contributions
Trump claimed that NATO has never given the US anything. This statement is false.
The US benefited from military aid from NATO nations, who went to war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Following this attack, the UK suggested declaring an Article 5 contingency, marking the only instance NATO invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, defining the collective defense clause, wherein an armed attack against one member state is considered an attack against all.
Trump’s Investment Figures: A Misrepresentation
Trump secured claims of ‘$18 trillion’ in investment, which has been proven false.
Figures from the White House indicate that since Trump re-entered office, $9.6 trillion has been allocated for new investment—showing that the President exaggerated the true number.
The President ‘Ended Eight Wars’ Claim
Trump claimed he has single-handedly ended eight conflicts, which is somewhat accurate.
While Trump was involved in peace agreements between many countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Israel, India, and Pakistan, violence in many of these regions has persisted even after peace accords were reached, highlighting ongoing instability.