U.S. President Donald Trump has reacted to a speech by Prime Minister Mark Carney that took aim at Trump’s policies and American influence, with Carney urging countries and companies to stop complying with the way the global system is evolving.
Trump said he listened to Carney’s speech delivered on Jan. 20 and remarked that it “wasn’t so grateful” toward the United States, adding that Canada “lives because of the United States.”
Trump made the comments as he delivered a lengthy speech at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Jan. 21, which touched on the burning geopolitical issues of the day, such as his pursuit of acquiring Greenland.
Trump said the United States requires Greenland for national security, as missiles during a potential war with an adversary would fly over Greenland.
“All we want from Denmark for national and international security, and to keep our very energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay, is this land on which we’re going to build the greatest Golden Dome ever built,” Trump said. The “Golden Dome” refers to his plan to build a new air defence system to protect against sophisticated missile threats.
After making his case for U.S. acquisition of the Danish territory, for which he said he would not take by force, Trump briefly mentioned Canada.
The president said by the “very nature” of the Golden Dome it would serve to defend Canada as well. Ottawa has previously confirmed being interested in joining the new continental air defence system.
“Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way, they should be grateful also, but they’re not,” Trump added.
“I watched your prime minister yesterday, he wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney in his Davos speech on Jan. 20 said that the international rules-based order is finished, ceding way to “great power rivalry.”
By Noé Chartier
