US President Donald Trump has claimed that German—and to a lesser extent Japanese—would have become the world’s dominant languages if the United States had not intervened in World War II. Trump made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing European leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, where he emphasised what he described as America’s decisive role in winning the war.
During his speech, Trump said the United States “won World War II big,” telling his audience that without American involvement, “you would all be speaking German and a little Japanese.” The comments were part of a broader address in which he sought to underscore US military and historical influence in Europe.
Trump also revisited his long-standing interest in Greenland, arguing that Denmark was unable to defend the territory during the war. He claimed Denmark fell to Germany after only hours of fighting, prompting US intervention to secure Greenland. Expressing frustration, Trump said the United States later returned Greenland to Denmark after the war, questioning the decision and accusing Denmark of ingratitude despite America’s role in the territory’s defence.