‘Greenland will stay Greenland’: Former Trump adviser Gary Cohn plays down tensions at Davos

A former senior adviser to Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that the United States could force Greenland to change hands, saying such a move would be politically impossible and strategically unnecessary. Gary Cohn, IBM vice chairman and former director of the White House National Economic Council, told the BBC that bipartisan agreement in Washington makes clear that Greenland will remain autonomous. He described any military takeover of the Arctic territory as unrealistic, particularly given Greenland’s status within the NATO alliance.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Cohn suggested the president’s recent remarks about Greenland may be part of a broader negotiating strategy rather than a literal proposal. He pointed to Trump’s past approach of publicly staking out extreme positions to gain leverage in talks. Cohn said the United States could pursue its interests in Greenland through less confrontational means, such as expanding its military footprint on the island or securing supply agreements for rare earth minerals, which are increasingly vital for advanced technologies.

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He added that Greenland itself would likely welcome deeper security cooperation with Washington, especially as activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions grows amid rising geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to calm European concerns over Trump’s rhetoric, urging governments not to overreact. Speaking to reporters in Davos, Bessent compared the current response to previous market panic over US tariff threats, arguing that escalation would only worsen outcomes.

Bessent emphasised that the US remains firmly committed to NATO and its alliance with Europe, despite disagreements over Greenland’s future. He accused critics of exaggerating the situation and stressed that existing trade agreements should remain intact. Donald Trump is expected to address the Davos forum later this week, as political and business leaders continue to express unease over the potential economic and diplomatic fallout of his statements on Greenland.