JD Vance's attack on Denmark: "Haven't done a good job"
Rebecka Rosengart
Updated 00.02 | Published 2025-03-28 17.09
JD Vance goes on a hard attack about Greenland.
During a press conference at the American space base, he sawed Denmark again.
– With all due respect – they haven't done a good job, says the American vice president.
JD Vance pointed his whole hand at Sweden's neighboring country on Friday evening.
– Our message to DenmarkDenmark is simple – you haven't done a good job keeping Greenland safe, he says, and believes that the place is more unsafe now than it was 40 years ago.
– We can’t hide our heads in the sand, or in Greenland – bury our heads in the snow, and pretend that the Chinese are not interested in this very large landmass.
The US will increase its resources to “meet that challenge”.
The press conference was held by JD Vance at the Putiffik space base in the company of the military officials stationed there. He arrived shortly after 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
Ask about resorting to military means
After a question about Trump’s expressed interest in owning Greenland, the vice president points back to Denmark in response.
Trump “respects the self-determination of the Greenlandic people,” Vance says, but says that Greenland would have been better off under the US security umbrella than under Denmark’s security umbrella.
Prime Minister: “Unfair”
When asked if it will be an issue to use military means to take over Greenland, he replies:
– We don’t think it will ever be an issue.
After the press conference, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is critical of Vance’s statements.
– An unfair way to describe Denmark, she says.
Ulf Kristersson: “Stands behind Denmark”
After JD Vance’s criticism of Denmark, Ulf Kristersson (M) says that Sweden stands behind its neighbor:
“Sweden fully stands behind Denmark and agrees with what Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said - that the US is making an unfair description of Denmark’s historical efforts. As we have said many times, it is Denmark and Greenland that decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the Prime Minister writes to Aftonbladet.
Arrived: “Cold as hell!”
In a green winter jacket and fur hat, the US vice president stepped off the plane in Greenland late on Friday afternoon. He arrived with, among others, his wife Usha Vance and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
He was not shy about his first impression.
– It’s cold as hell here! he said shortly after arriving.
Then he set off for Putiffik Space Base, an American space base on the island, where he met the press.
Criticized visit
The vice president's visit has sparked reactions. This is in light of Trump's repeated interest in the United States taking control of Greenland.
Earlier on Friday, the island also received a new government, led by Jens-Fredrik Nielsen. He criticizes JD Vance's timing of the visit, which comes on the same day as the formation of the government.
- It shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic population, he said in an interview with the Greenlandic newspaper Sermistiaq.
Trump: “I think Greenland understands that the United States should own the island”
Shortly before the press conference began, President Donald Trump said in another press conference at the White House:
– I think Greenland understands that the United States should own the island, and if Denmark and the EU don’t understand that, we have to explain it to them.
He means that the United States will get the island one way or another.
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