Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2026
January 19, 2026
The President. So we saw a great game tonight. Congratulations to Indiana. It was a really—turned out to be a great game. Two great teams—wonderful teams—with a lot of talent. We enjoyed it very much.
Our country is doing very well. We have many, many buildings opening, factories opening.
We've never had anything like it. And I think you're going to see results very soon. You're already really seeing them.
But we have more money being invested in our country than any country in history. As you know, the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, who's with me right now, has a lot to report. I don't know if you want to say a couple of words, Doug, but you might want to say how well we're doing as a country.
Secretary of the Interior Douglas J. Burgum. Well, with President Trump's leadership, we've got inflation coming down, we've got investment going up, we've got taxes going down, we've got energy prices down. There—everything is aligned for us to have a banner year in 2026, and the interest in building and investing in our country has never been greater.
The President. There's never been anything like it. The money being invested in our country is unparalleled. There's never been anything even close by many times more than China or any other country.
All right. Do you have any questions?
National Economy
Q. In Davos, sir, what will be your presentation—what will be your message to the leaders in Davos?
The President. Well, I think I have a lot of messages for Davos, but the primary message is how well the United States is doing. And I say it all the time: A year and a half ago, we were a dead country, and now we have the hottest country in the world.
I mean, you're beneficiaries too. If you look, some of you have 401(k)s. You don't have to tell me your numbers are the best they've ever been. And the stock market's at an alltime high. It's—we are just doing great.
So I think the message at Davos—we're leaving—we're going to have an interesting time. We have a lot of meetings scheduled, but the message for Davos is how incredible our country is doing.
Nobel Prize for Peace/Norway/The President's Foreign Policy
Q. Can you speak to your letter that you wrote the Prime Minister saying that the Nobel Prize has influenced your thinking on Greenland?
The President. No, I don't care about the Nobel Prize. First of all, a very fine woman felt that I deserved it and really wanted me to have the Nobel Prize. And I appreciate that.
If anybody thinks that Norway doesn't control the Nobel Prize, they're just kidding. They have a board, but it's controlled by Norway, and I don't care what Norway says.
But I really don't care about that. What I care about is saving lives, and I think I've saved tens of millions of lives. If you look at India-Pakistan, just as one—two nuclear powers. You look at so many of the countries that were in a 30—in some cases, a 35-year war, and I got it done. We stopped eight wars, and maybe we'll be stopping a ninth very soon. We'll see.
Greenland/North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Q. What are you planning to say to European leaders in Davos when they push back on your Greenland plan?
The President. Well, I don't think they're going to push back too much. Look, we have to have it. They have to have this done. They can't protect it. Denmark, they're wonderful people. And I know the leaders; they're very good people. But they don't even go there.
And you know, because a boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn't give you title to property. So we'll be talking about it with the various people.
Q. Who are you——
The President. We've had tremendous success, and we've——
You know, I've done more for NATO than anybody else. I don't think you'd have NATO right now. I got them to go 5 percent and pay, as opposed to 2 percent and not pay. I've done more than any other American President for NATO by far, and we'll see how that goes. But Greenland is very important.
Q. [Inaudible]
Board of Peace
Q. Have you invited President Putin to be a member of the Board of Peace?
The President. Yes, he's been invited.
Q. Do you have any response to President Macron saying he will not join the Board of Peace?
The President. Oh, did he say that?
Q. Yes.
The President. Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. So, you know, that's all right. What I'll do is—if they feel, like, hostile, I'll put a 200-percent tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join.
But he doesn't have to join. If he said that, you're probably giving it to me a little bit differently. But if he actually did say that—but as you know, he's going to be out of office in a few months.
Q. Did you invite President Putin to join the——
The President. Yes, I—he's one of the people—these are world leaders, and the answer is yes, I did.
The President's Reflections on the First Year of His Second Term
Q. Mr. President, how you feel about the first year of your second term?
The President. Amazing. Tomorrow is the first year. Think of it: One year. I don't think there's been a term like it. I don't think any President has had a better first year than we've had, in terms of success.
Again, we've taken our country from a failure with open borders, no business, everything going badly, terrific inflation—the highest inflation in history, prices that are through the roof, and we brought prices down. We have very little inflation. We have a great economy, and the prices are coming down still further.
But I inherited a mess, and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world.
National Football League's New York Giants
Q. Mr. President, do you think that you had any influence on the Giants signing a deal with Coach Harbaugh? And how do you think he'll do in New York?
The President. I don't know, but they got a great coach. I like the coach. I like his brother.
They came up to see me with—about 3 months ago. They came up to see me in the White House. Did you know that?
Q. Yes, I did.
The President. With the mother and father, because the mother likes me and the father likes me, and I think they like me. And he's a great coach, and he's going do well with the Giants, just like his brother does so well. That they are—they got something very special in their blood, and I'm happy for the Giants. They've got a great coach. It's nice that you ask. I did put out a strong word: Hire Coach Harbaugh.
Federal Reserve System Leadership
Q. Mr. President, can you tell us: On the Fed, will you make a decision before Davos?
The President. Yes, I know who I want.
Q. Do you know who you want?
The President. In the Fed.
Q. When will you make a decision—when will you make an announcement?
The President. I'll be—I'll announce it sometime. But I know—I know who I want.
Q. Thank you.
Arctic Security
Q. You said securing the Arctic from Russian threats is important to you. Why are you upset about NATO allies taking that, you know, more seriously in Greenland by holding military exercises?
The President. Well, that wasn't a military—they sent a few people, and they say they sent them not for me, but because—to guard against Russia. But you know, NATO has been warning Denmark for about 20 years now—longer than that, 25 years—they've been warning Denmark about the Russian threat. And it's not only Russia, it's also China.
So we'll see what happens. But let's put it this way: It's going to be a very interesting Davos. Goodbye, everybody. Have a good flight. Thank you.
NOTE: The President spoke at 11:41 p.m. on the tarmac at the Palm Beach International Airport prior to boarding Air Force One. In his remarks, he referred to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado; President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia; President Emmanuel Macron of France; and John W. Harbaugh, head coach, National Football League's New York Giants, and James J. Harbaugh, head coach, NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, and their parents Jack and Jacqueline Harbaugh. A reporter referred to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway. The transcript was released by the Office of Communications on January 20.
Categories: Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters, West Palm Beach, FL. Locations: West Palm Beach, FL.
Names: Burgum, Douglas J.; Harbaugh, Jack; Harbaugh, Jacqueline; Harbaugh, James J.; Harbaugh, John W.; Machado, María Corina; Macron, Emmanuel; Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich.
Subjects: Arctic security, improvement efforts; Board of Peace; Economic improvement; Federal Reserve System; Florida, President's visit; Football; France, President; Greenland, ownership and administration; Greenland, political status with respect to Denmark; India, relations with Pakistan; Inflation; Manufacturing industry, domestic investment; News media, Presidential interviews; Nobel Prize for Peace; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Pakistan, relations with India; Russia, President; Secretary of the Interior.
DCPD Number: DCPD202600039.