"Why shouldn't the US buy Greenland", Trump asked in 2019 during his first term, but Denmark didn't take it seriously at the time. And they were wrong. Trump wants to own Greenland - and he's not kidding.
"It's terribly cold here! Nobody told me," said US Vice President J.D. Vance shortly after arriving in Greenland, where temperatures are currently around -19 degrees Celsius. The US delegation to the island also includes Vance's wife, National Security Advisor Mike Walz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. However, they are far from being welcomed with applause in Greenland.
The criticism against the visit was so great that the US representatives were forced to shorten their stay from three days to about three hours, ARD writes. In addition, they remained almost the entire time at the US military base on the island.
Vance sharply criticized Denmark
The US vice president sharply criticized Denmark, whose autonomous territory is Greenland. “Our message to Denmark is clear. You are not treating the Greenlanders well”. According to Vance, Copenhagen is not investing enough in the security of the island and the area around the US base is no longer as safe as it was 30-40 years ago. According to the vice president, Denmark is not spending enough on defense and “has not provided the necessary resources to protect the US military”.
The strategically important island was a Danish colony until 1953. Since 1979, Greenland has been largely autonomous, but Denmark still determines the island's foreign policy and defense. A large percentage of Greenlanders actually want to become independent, but they are in no hurry, as the island is largely financially dependent on Denmark.
The United States does not plan to increase its military presence in Greenland for now, Vance said. However, there will be additional investments in icebreakers and other ships. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand, or in this case, in the snow, and pretend that the Chinese have no interest in this island”, the US vice president also said. According to him, not only China, but also Russia are trying to develop their economic interests in Greenland, writes ARD. Vance did not provide evidence for his claims.
"We need Greenland"
Vance insisted that the United States respects Greenland's right to self-determination and said that it is unlikely that it will ever need military force. According to him, however, the Greenlanders themselves will want to be independent from Denmark and then “we will talk to them”. The island is currently in a very vulnerable position, Vance claims, which is why it is good for the Greenlanders to partner with the US. However, surveys show that 85 percent of the people in Greenland oppose joining the US. In view of this, it is unlikely that the new government in Nuuk will comply with any American demands.
While Vance was in Greenland, US President Donald Trump also commented on the issue from Washington. “We need Greenland”, he said. “We have no other choice. It is very important for international security and world peace to own Greenland”. According to Trump, Chinese and Russian ships are everywhere around the island and Denmark cannot cope with this situation. Trump did not provide evidence for his claims.
In fact, Trump made a similar comment during his first term in office - in 2019. However, no one in Denmark took him seriously then. Things are different now - the US president keeps repeating that he needs Greenland and that it is a "matter of national security". Researcher and Greenland expert Ulrik Pram Gad told ARD that Trump is unlikely to be concerned about military control: "The US and Denmark have an agreement from 1951, which Greenland signed in 2004," the expert explains. "Simply put, it gives the US the right to use the territory of Greenland for its own defense as it wishes. That is why, in this context, it is a little difficult to understand what Trump actually needs.
Denmark to strengthen Greenland militarily
After the American visit to Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that Denmark has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in many difficult situations and that Copenhagen is a “strong ally”. She described Vance's criticism as unfair, but welcomed Vance's emphasis on the assurance that he respects Greenland's sovereignty.
Frederiksen announced that Denmark is working to renew its military capabilities, including through investments in icebreakers, drones and satellites. Denmark can do all this faster if it can work together with its military partners, such as the United States, the Prime Minister stressed, recalling that the security of Greenland and the Arctic is a shared responsibility of all NATO allies.