U.S. President Donald Trump made a series of demonstrably false statements during a press briefing on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara — while meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the White House. According to CNN, the most prominent falsehood centered on Greenland — the autonomous Danish territory — which Trump again claimed should be under U.S. control.
Greenland and the ‘Surrounded by Chinese and Russian Ships’ Claim
Trump falsely asserted that Greenland is “surrounded by Chinese ships and Russian ships.” In reality, there is no credible evidence supporting this claim. Independent Arctic security experts, the Danish government and military, officials from other Nordic countries, Greenlandic authorities and residents, as well as current and former U.S. officials have all rejected it.
In a recent interview published last month, the commander of Denmark’s Arctic forces told TV 2 that Danish naval patrols observed no Chinese or Russian vessels near or within Greenlandic waters — consistent with normal operations. Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer, an Arctic security expert and professor at Canada’s Trent University, told CNN in January that Trump’s claim was “entirely fabricated.” She reiterated in an email on Tuesday that the statement “remains inaccurate.”
While it’s possible Trump saw classified intelligence indicating limited Chinese or Russian maritime activity near Greenland recently, even that would not support the sweeping claim that the island is “surrounded” — a term implying encirclement and strategic pressure that simply does not reflect the facts.
Other Repeated Falsehoods
Trump also revived several long-debunked claims:
- That he “brokered peace in eight wars” — a claim with no factual basis. His list includes conflicts that were never formally declared wars, diplomatic negotiations unrelated to active hostilities, or situations where U.S. involvement was minimal or non-existent.
- That former President Joe Biden gave Ukraine “hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of equipment” — vastly inflating actual U.S. military aid figures.
- That “$19.2 trillion” or more has been invested in the U.S. since his return to office last year — a figure that misrepresents federal spending, conflates public and private investment, and lacks any verifiable source.
- That the 2020 U.S. presidential election was “rigged” — a baseless allegation repeatedly dismissed by courts, election officials, and bipartisan audits.
The remarks come amid heightened diplomatic tensions, particularly among NATO allies, following Trump’s renewed push for U.S. control over Greenland — a proposal widely seen as undermining alliance cohesion just before the Ankara summit.