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 looking at.
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 said 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. An international court ruled in 1933 that Greenland belonged to Denmark, and a US agreement to defend the territory during World War II did not transfer sovereignty.
Next, Trump claimed that the United States was paying for virtually 100% of NATO and criticized member countries for not meeting their defense spending commitments. This assertion is misleading; in recent years, US spending accounted for about 70% of NATO expenditures, and that figure is projected to decrease as other countries meet their 2% GDP spending target.
On NATO contributions, Trump claimed the US has never gotten anything back from the alliance. However, NATO's collective defense framework is rooted in mutual support, as demonstrated by international contributions during the US-led war in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.
Trump also incorrectly stated that China has no wind farms despite the fact that it houses some of the largest in the world, particularly a massive complex in Gansu visible from space, which indicates significant wind energy investments. Furthermore, he misrepresented the UK’s taxation on North Sea oil, which amounts to 78% on profits, and incorrectly estimated the share the UK government takes from energy companies.
Lastly, he claimed that his administration secured commitments for investments totaling $18 trillion. This figure contradicts available data from the White House, which indicates a total of $9.6 trillion of investments. Experts have commented that pledges may not materialize into actual investments.
This analysis highlights the importance of verifying the statements made by public figures, especially on such vital international issues, as misinformation can significantly impact public opinion and policy.
