Denmark Prime Minister: ‘The US Has No Right to Annex’ Greenland

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has pushed back forcefully against President Donald Trump’s renewed talk of taking control of Greenland, telling him to “stop the threats” and rejecting any suggestion that the United States has a claim to the territory.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Frederiksen said it made “absolutely no sense” to argue that the U.S. needs to take over Greenland, stressing that Washington has “no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom.

Her remarks came after Trump, following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, on Saturday again raised the idea of acquiring Greenland.

In a phone interview with The Atlantic on Sunday, Trump said he remained committed to the idea, saying the island is “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships” and declaring, “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”

Frederiksen’s remarks come days after Trump escalated his campaign to claim Greenland as U.S. territory by appointing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy, while figures close to the Trump administration shared posts suggesting that a U.S. takeover was imminent.

Denmark prime minister: "The US has no right to annex" Greenland

The comment comes following frequent statements made by Trump about wanting to take over the island owned by Denmark in the North Atlantic.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Margery]

Trump is adamant that China and Russia are moving into Greenland and have missiles literally seconds from the USA, so he plans to move in first.

Russia is ALWAYS in the waters around Greenland, just as they are anywhere else in the Arctic whether via subs or surface vessels, not all of which are navy, some are "civilian" fishing trawlers fitted with the usual spy stuff that the KGB uses. KGB goes by other names now, but same people, same purposes.

China did Russia some favours (dragging anchors to disrupt marine lines for the internet sitting on the floor of the Baltic Sea) but they defer to Russia in this area just as Russia defers to them in the South China Sea.

Things haven't changed substantially in that regard.

Neither Russia or China would go to war over Greenland with a US base sitting right there.

I think Trump's statement is disingenuous, designed for public consumption as well as an open threat to both Russia and China. Much the same as Russia talks to their own people to reassure them, and subtlety threaten the west.

It is not strictly accurate, it's more strategic in design, open to multiple interpretations. Disinformation rather than information.

It provides convenient cover for any actions he may want to take against them while also providing a future excuse for invasion.

In short what any intelligent leader will do to provide more options at his disposal.