Fact Check: Trump Makes False Claims About Greenland and NATO During Davos Appearance

In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Wednesday, President Donald Trump made numerous false and misleading claims on topics ranging from NATO and Greenland to domestic issues like inflation and gas prices, according to a fact-check of his remarks.

Trump’s comments about NATO contained several inaccuracies. He claimed the United States has “gotten nothing” out of the alliance, overlooking that NATO invoked Article 5, its collective defense provision, to support the U.S. after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This marked the only time in NATO’s history that the provision was activated, with member countries joining a coalition alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Many nations, including Denmark, suffered significant casualties during the years-long conflict.

The president also asserted that the U.S. was “paying for virtually 100% of NATO” before his presidency. NATO figures contradict this claim, showing that U.S. defense spending accounted for approximately 72% of total NATO defense spending in 2016, dropping to about 63% in 2024. Additionally, the U.S. contributes a much smaller percentage to NATO’s organizational budget—around 16% in 2025, down from 22% when Trump first took office in 2017.

Trump’s characterization of NATO members’ defense spending was similarly flawed. He stated that “most of the countries weren’t paying anything” until his presidency, though NATO data shows all members were funding their own defense. Total defense spending by non-U.S. members was $292 billion in 2016 and an estimated $482 billion in 2024. The NATO target of 2% of GDP for defense spending, which Trump referenced, was being met by four members in 2016, eight by the end of his first term in 2020, and 18 of 31 members in 2024.

The president repeatedly confused Greenland with Iceland in his speech and characterized Greenland as merely “a piece of ice.” This description ignores the territory’s status as a vast land mass with more than 56,000 residents, who largely oppose U.S. acquisition of their homeland. Trump falsely suggested that the U.S. “gave Greenland back to Denmark” after World War II, when in fact Greenland was never a U.S. possession. The 1941 agreement that allowed U.S. military operations in Greenland explicitly recognized Danish sovereignty over the territory.

Among Trump’s other false claims was his assertion that the 2020 election was “rigged,” despite his clear electoral defeat to Joe Biden. He also greatly exaggerated the amount of investment he secured in his first year back in office, citing “$18 trillion”—a figure far above even the White House’s own inflated claims.

On economic matters, Trump wrongly stated that there is “virtually no inflation” or “no inflation” in the U.S., when December 2025 prices were actually up 2.7% from the previous year. He falsely claimed credit for “driving inflation way down from the record highs,” overlooking that inflation had been steadily declining during the latter part of Biden’s presidency, from a high of 9.1% in June 2022 to 3.0% by January 2025.

The president’s statements about gas prices were also inaccurate. He claimed gas costs “$2.30 a gallon in most states” and that “numerous states are at $1.99,” when according to AAA data, no state had an average below approximately $2.34 per gallon, and only ten states averaged below $2.50.

Other false claims included assertions about eliminating taxes on Social Security for seniors, reducing prescription drug prices “by up to 90%” (or even “500% to 800%,” which is mathematically impossible), and taking credit for the idea that AI facilities can build their own power plants—a concept that predates his administration.

Trump also inaccurately portrayed Washington, DC as “the safest place now in the United States” following his federal takeover of law enforcement there. While crime has decreased, experts confirm the city is far from being the nation’s safest location.

In foreign policy matters, the president falsely claimed to have “settled eight wars,” including disputes that were not actually wars or conflicts that never ended. He also wrongly stated that China builds wind farms just for show without using them, when in reality, China leads the world in wind power generation and continues to rapidly expand its capacity.