Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized President Trump after he repeatedly confused Greenland and Iceland during a Davos speech, calling his behavior “increasingly erratic.” The White House described the remarks as a downplayed gaffe, noting Trump referred to Greenland as a “piece of ice.” Ocasio-Cortez said the episode highlights broader concerns about a government willing to tolerate a leader’s public decline. Observers also noted Trump will turn 80 in June, a fact cited in debates over leaders’ fitness for office.
AOC Sounds Alarm After Trump Repeatedly Mixes Up Greenland and Iceland at Davos
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) voiced concern Wednesday after President Donald Trump repeatedly confused Greenland and Iceland during remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Ocasio-Cortez Reacts
“The president has been acting in increasingly erratic ways,” Ocasio-Cortez told Migrant Insider’s Pablo Manríquez on Capitol Hill. She called the conduct “alarming” and warned that the problem extends beyond one individual to a broader institutional failure to address his fitness for office.
“I think that for our European partners and for our global partners, what they also see is the result of not just one man, but also the entire government apparatus and a party that is willing to watch someone decompensate in front of the world and do nothing about it,” she said.
What Trump Said in Davos
At the forum, Trump repeatedly appeared to conflate the two North Atlantic territories during remarks about NATO and global markets. “They’re not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you,” he said, adding, “I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, so Iceland has already cost us a lot of money.” He also referred to Greenland as a “piece of ice.”
White House Response
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to downplay the mix-ups on the social platform X, saying the president had described Greenland as a “piece of ice.” The administration framed the comments as a minor gaffe amid broader remarks about NATO and U.S. support for Europe.
Context and Broader Concerns
Trump, who will turn 80 in June, was sworn in as president last January and is currently the oldest president in U.S. history. The speech and reactions come amid ongoing public debate about leaders' fitness for office; former President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race amid concerns raised by critics about his fitness.
Ocasio-Cortez — frequently mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender — urged consistent standards when evaluating a leader's ability to serve, saying it would be helpful to apply an even standard to all public officials.
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