Fact-Check: Analyzing Trump's Claims at Davos Speech

Thu Jan 22 2026 11:51:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In his recent address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump made several statements regarding key geopolitical issues. This article fact-checks his claims about Greenland, NATO contributions, Chinese wind energy, and more.

During a contentious speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump made numerous claims, including misleading statements about US contributions to NATO, ownership of Greenland, and wind energy in China. Fact-checking by BBC Verify reveals inaccuracies in his arguments, highlighting misunderstandings of historical context and financial facts, thus prompting a debate about the truth in political rhetoric.

In a free-wheeling speech to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump made a series of contested claims.

Trump touched on his desire to obtain Greenland from Denmark - which he referred to as a 'small ask', America's contribution to NATO, and wind energy in China.

His address - which lasted for more than an hour - contained a number of false assertions which BBC Verify has been examining.

Did the US 'give Greenland back' after World War Two?

For weeks, Trump has spoken about his desire to acquire Greenland, a largely self-governing territory of Denmark. He has said it is critical to US national security.

At Davos, he stated that after World War Two, 'we gave Greenland back to Denmark,' adding: 'How stupid were we to do that?' However, it was not America's to give back. In 1933, an international court ruled that Greenland belonged to Denmark.

While the US had a defensive agreement with Denmark during WWII, this did not transfer sovereignty, meaning Greenland never became US territory.

Is the US paying for 'virtually 100%' of NATO's defence?

Trump criticized NATO and claimed that 'the United States was paying for virtually 100% of NATO'. In reality, US spending has accounted for about 70% of the total NATO expenditure in recent years, which is decreasing as other member states adjust their defense budgets.

Has the US got nothing back from NATO?

Trump claimed that the US had 'never gotten anything' from NATO. However, NATO’s collective defense principle, particularly Article 5, asserts that an attack on one member is an attack on all, a principle the US invoked post-9/11.

Does China have no wind farms?

In criticizing wind energy, Trump stated he could not find any wind farms in China. Contrary to this, China has some of the largest wind farms globally, including the vast Gansu Wind Farm.

Does the UK take 92% of North Sea oil revenue?

Trump incorrectly claimed that the UK takes 92% of North Sea oil revenues. In actuality, oil companies pay around 78% tax on profits, which is significantly lower than suggested.

Has Trump secured $18tn worth of investments for the US?

Trump claimed that the US had secured commitments for $18 trillion in investments. However, this figure lacks support, with the White House tracking investments closer to $9.6 trillion since his administration began.

This speech at Davos raises important questions about the accuracy of political statements and their potential impacts on international understanding and cooperation.