Inside the Davos Room With Trump: Faisal Islam on What Really Happened
Inside the Davos room as Donald Trump stunned world leaders with Greenland claims, sharp insults, and mixed reactions during a tense global speech.
I was there when President Donald Trump entered the room, and it's fair to say the crowd gave him a warm welcome, especially at the beginning. He received a standing ovation.
However, there was a tremendous crush of people trying to get in, with many being turned away – even heads of state.
The security was incredible, preventing even the most famous people from entering or leaving the hall.
Within minutes of the speech starting, Trump was calm – even going so far as to tell the UK to "be great."
Some had expected this to be the day the American president would lay down the rules for his new global economy, but it was mostly filled with grandfatherly advice.
This was a far cry from the mildly threatening tone of his social media posts, in which he claimed Greenland would belong to the US.
But who is the real Donald Trump? Has he heard how badly some of his comments have been received?
When I arrived, I was told about a shocking incident from the previous night, where Trump's Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, told the audience that, in terms of Europe's economy, "you're finished."
The speech takes a serious turn.
Initially, I thought Trump was taking a diplomatic approach, perhaps having heard some of the significant criticism leveled against him and trying to speak in a softer tone.
He spoke in a friendly manner about Western allies, who had been most upset by his social media posts.
He even acknowledged that he probably shouldn't talk about the controversial issue of Greenland – which he has repeatedly promised to acquire.
But, as if he couldn't help himself, the speech took a serious turn.
First, he described America's role in helping Greenland in the past, including its friendship with Denmark.
But then he insulted Europe's largest economy, saying that if it weren't for the US, everyone in the hall would be "speaking German."
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And then it happened. He announced that he wanted to immediately begin negotiations for the United States to acquire Greenland.
He said it would be a negotiated agreement. No force would be necessary. But the U.S. needed "full ownership."
He said, "We want this land" to build "the biggest Golden Dome ever."
And he warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney about comments he had made the day before, though he insisted he would also use Greenland to defend Canada. "I'm asking for a piece of ice... It's a very small thing."
The room had mixed reactions.
There was heightened security, high stakes, and palpable tension in the Alps as the world's self-proclaimed sheriff arrived, displaying his new rules.
Reactions in the room varied.
The president received polite applause for his attempts at charm. But as he moved on to everything from rigged elections to his grievances about other leaders' Davos speeches, some sat in disbelief.
Even though he promised not to invade Greenland, his attempts to persuade Europe to cede the territory surprised many.
California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said the speech was "TACO" Tuesday, a reference to the "Trump Always Caves Out" catchphrase used to mock the president.
He argued that Trump had backed down after strong opposition from leaders Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney.
A prominent Republican senator, Thomas Tillis, said the president's attempt to acquire Greenland, even through negotiated acquisition, would not receive congressional support.
So, while Trump tried to de-escalate tensions, he still criticized allies—including personal attacks on leaders. And while he promised not to invade Greenland, he still said it would be part of the new America – and that the world should thank him for it.
The speech may finally be over, but we'll be talking about it for a long time to come.
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