Trump Mocks Denmark's Military Capabilities
Copenhagen announces plans to enhance its military presence on the island, emphasizing to Washington “how good an ally” the country is. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Copenhagen has made an announcement to enhance its military presence on the island while also reminding Washington “how good an ally” Denmark is.
US President Donald Trump has asserted that Denmark is unable to sufficiently protect the strategically significant territory of Greenland. While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump seemed to mock Denmark's plans to increase its military footprint on the Arctic island.
The idea of purchasing Greenland was first brought up by Trump during his initial term in office and has resurfaced since his victory in the presidential election on November 5. The US president has highlighted Greenland’s importance for American national security, suggesting that military force might be a possibility to acquire it.
Denmark has emphatically rejected any notion that Greenland could be sold.
Trump remarked, “I do believe Greenland, we’ll get – because it really has to do with freedom of the world. It has nothing to do with the United States, other than we’re the one that can provide the freedom. [Denmark] can’t. They put two dog sleds there two weeks ago, they thought that was protection,” according to the Financial Times.
The president was seemingly referencing a statement made by Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen earlier this month. Poulsen mentioned that Copenhagen intends to add two inspection vessels, two drones, and two dog sled patrols to its existing force of 75 personnel, four ships, and a surveillance aircraft.
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen,” Trump expressed over the weekend. He also asserted that the “people [of Greenland] want to be with us.”
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke to local broadcaster TV2 on Sunday, highlighting “how good an ally Denmark has been” to the US. She pointed out that Denmark, as a NATO member, has participated in US-led military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland is not for sale and emphasized that its population holds the exclusive right to determine its own future.
According to a Financial Times report from Friday, citing several anonymous European officials, the phone conversation between Trump and Frederiksen earlier this month was described as “horrendous.” Trump was said to be “very firm” about his desire to purchase Greenland and allegedly issued threats of tariffs against Denmark if it continued to resist his proposal.
The combative nature of the call reportedly alarmed officials in Copenhagen, leading them to recognize that Trump’s intentions were “serious.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
US President Donald Trump has asserted that Denmark is unable to sufficiently protect the strategically significant territory of Greenland. While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump seemed to mock Denmark's plans to increase its military footprint on the Arctic island.
The idea of purchasing Greenland was first brought up by Trump during his initial term in office and has resurfaced since his victory in the presidential election on November 5. The US president has highlighted Greenland’s importance for American national security, suggesting that military force might be a possibility to acquire it.
Denmark has emphatically rejected any notion that Greenland could be sold.
Trump remarked, “I do believe Greenland, we’ll get – because it really has to do with freedom of the world. It has nothing to do with the United States, other than we’re the one that can provide the freedom. [Denmark] can’t. They put two dog sleds there two weeks ago, they thought that was protection,” according to the Financial Times.
The president was seemingly referencing a statement made by Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen earlier this month. Poulsen mentioned that Copenhagen intends to add two inspection vessels, two drones, and two dog sled patrols to its existing force of 75 personnel, four ships, and a surveillance aircraft.
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen,” Trump expressed over the weekend. He also asserted that the “people [of Greenland] want to be with us.”
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke to local broadcaster TV2 on Sunday, highlighting “how good an ally Denmark has been” to the US. She pointed out that Denmark, as a NATO member, has participated in US-led military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland is not for sale and emphasized that its population holds the exclusive right to determine its own future.
According to a Financial Times report from Friday, citing several anonymous European officials, the phone conversation between Trump and Frederiksen earlier this month was described as “horrendous.” Trump was said to be “very firm” about his desire to purchase Greenland and allegedly issued threats of tariffs against Denmark if it continued to resist his proposal.
The combative nature of the call reportedly alarmed officials in Copenhagen, leading them to recognize that Trump’s intentions were “serious.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
