Greenland's future

Trump mocks Denmark: "They sent another dog sled"

Denmark has not done enough to protect Greenland. Donald Trump continues to claim this while the US is taking an increasingly aggressive stance towards the island.

On Sunday, an interview was published in The Atlantic in which Trump once again said that the US "needs Greenland" because it is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships". He repeated the claim on the presidential plane last night.

- Our need for Greenland is based on our national security, and it is a task that Denmark cannot solve, I can tell you that.

- Do you know what Denmark did recently to increase security in Greenland? They sent another dog sled there. That is true, Trump continued. 

Frederiksen: Trump's threat should be taken very seriously

Donald Trump's threat to take Greenland should be taken "literally and very seriously," says Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to DR.

- It is unacceptable pressure and an unreasonable attack on the international community.

If the US attacks another NATO country, "everything will stop," she adds, without elaborating.

The Greenlanders have made it clear that they want to be Greenlanders, and Denmark will not accept being threatened, she adds.

The US is wrong in that it needs Greenland for its national security, and both Denmark and its allies are clear that national borders must be respected, the Prime Minister continues. 

Expert: If the US takes Greenland, it is the end of NATO

If the US were to make the threat of taking over Greenland a reality, it would mean the end of NATO. Magnus Christiansson, senior lecturer and NATO researcher at the Swedish National Defence University, told DN.

– I mean that it would completely destroy the entire foundation of the alliance.

However, there is resistance among Republicans in Congress against breaking the transatlantic link, he adds.

Denmark and other individual NATO countries are reacting strongly to the US threat, but nothing is heard from the alliance – they are pretending it is raining and want to try to resolve internal conflicts behind closed doors for as long as possible, according to Christiansson.