Donald Trump’s fixation on acquiring Greenland appears to be drawing increased scrutiny. The President of the United States recently made several unusual remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, raising fresh attention to his on-stage comments. His speech garnered notice for multiple reasons beyond his stated interest in Greenland.
Trump also appeared to embrace a long-running criticism of his leadership style. In a statement that surprised many observers, the 79-year-old leader of the world’s largest democracy said, “Usually they say he’s a horrible dictator type person. I am a dictator. But sometimes you need a dictator.”
🚨OMG: In a historically shocking moment, Donald Trump just went further than ever before – openly praising authoritarian rule.
“I’m a dictator… but sometimes you need a dictator.”
The mask all the way coming off. Anyone still pretending this is normal is lying to themselves. pic.twitter.com/jvxvnKO9OJ
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) January 21, 2026
While his statement appeared to some to be a half-joke, it was clear that he was aware of how many Americans perceive him. Lately, Trump’s approach to several decisions for the country has drawn criticism, with opponents questioning his preference for forceful measures over diplomacy. With his speech at the World Economic Forum, he appeared to acknowledge that perception, portraying himself as a dictator.
But that was not all from his remarks on stage. For nearly an hour, Trump appeared disconnected from the broader diplomatic context as he criticized some of the U.S.’s closest allies, including Switzerland, where the event was held.
During the speech, the President also appeared to forget the name of the territory he has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring since his first term. Alluding to Greenland, Trump said, “I’m helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me daddy, right? A very smart man said he’s running it. I was running it. I went from running it to becoming a terrible human being.”
A demented Donald Trump confused Greenland with Iceland as a silent crowd watches in horror as the President of the USA humiliates himself, slurring badly and visibly disoriented pic.twitter.com/nQfwGRwGeo
— David Pakman (@dpakman) January 21, 2026
He further added, “But now what I’m asking for is a piece of ice-cold and poorly located. That can play a vital role in world peace and world protection.” The use of terms like “dictator,” followed by a colloquial term like “daddy,” raised quite a few eyebrows, as he was speaking at an international event watched worldwide. Moreover, another pressing issue was whether Trump failed to differentiate between Greenland and Iceland.
For those who initially thought it was a slip of the tongue, Trump appeared to repeat the mistake throughout the speech. The U.S. president repeatedly referred to Iceland, while in other negotiations he remained focused on Greenland. He said, “They’re not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland’s already cost us a lot of money.”
The moment quickly gained traction on social media. Trump’s Iceland gaffes were later pointed out on X by a news correspondent, prompting Karoline Leavitt to step in and attempt damage control.
The White House press secretary weighed in and clarified that Trump was referring to Greenland by calling it a piece of ice. She wrote on X, “No, he didn’t, Libby. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a ‘piece of ice’ because that’s what it is. You’re the only one mixing anything up here.”
Additionally, a White House spokesperson addressed Trump’s repeated references to Iceland. Taylor Rogers said, “President Trump delivered a historic speech in Davos, laying out America’s compelling national security interests involving Greenland. Mere hours afterwards, President Trump announced the framework for a future deal with respect to Greenland. President Trump continues to deliver results while the failing, liberal media melts down.”
