The United States has no current plans to increase its military presence in Greenland, according to the US embassy in Denmark.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, but president-elect Donald Trump said he wanted America to take-over the arctic island.
CGTN’s Iolo ap Dafydd is in Copenhagen.
#Greenland #Trump #Denmark
Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, but president-elect Donald Trump said he wanted America to take-over the arctic island.
CGTN’s Iolo ap Dafydd is in Copenhagen.
#Greenland #Trump #Denmark
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NewsTranscript
00:00Donald Trump, the last time he was president, made similar suggestions.
00:04It certainly sparked, I think, an uncomfortable debate and discussions here,
00:10especially in Denmark.
00:12And Donald Trump's language this time around, earlier this week,
00:16is certainly blunt, and it's seen by some as being threatening as well,
00:20not just towards Greenland, but also the Panama Canal in Central America.
00:25Now, why now? Well, he is back in the White House as president in 11 days' time,
00:31and there is also the security of North America,
00:34and that's why the strategic position in the Arctic region of Greenland,
00:38the natural resources there, the untapped natural resources,
00:41which would interest many, many companies, including, of course, the Greenlandic parliament.
00:47And then there is this ability of Donald Trump trying to utilise some tough language
00:53in a very uncertain world.
00:55But it's definitely caused a bit of a stir.
00:58We've had politicians here running away from the microphone
01:01rather than appearing in front of them.
01:07Greenland is the world's largest island that's home to a small population.
01:11It's an autonomous region of Denmark that could vote for independence one day.
01:15Closer to New York than Copenhagen, it's now coveted by the next US president.
01:21But there isn't a crisis so far.
01:23This is the way he does international relations.
01:26Sometimes he's just joking, sometimes it's bravado, sometimes it's threats.
01:31And the only real danger is if he begins doing some of the stuff he's talking about.
01:37In an extraordinary news conference earlier this week,
01:40Donald Trump said he wanted control of Greenland and the Panama Canal.
01:44He said he wouldn't rule out military action or economic tariffs.
01:48People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it.
01:53But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security.
01:57The response in Denmark has been a mix of anger and disbelief.
02:01His comments jogged a few memories as Trump had just repeated
02:05what he said in 2019, that he wanted to buy Greenland.
02:09It's the people of Greenland that should decide what to do
02:14and we cannot just sell Greenland.
02:17Trump is Trump, so I don't know what to say.
02:20But no, it's part of Denmark. It's always been.
02:24Greenland, if they want to, they have every right to it.
02:27But I like this collaboration between Greenland and Denmark,
02:31so I think we should continue it.
02:33Both social and traditional media have been buzzing after Trump's comments,
02:37debating whether it really is US security that's at stake
02:41or Greenland's untapped wealth in terms of oil and minerals.
02:45As well as uranium, Greenland has an estimated 43 of the 50 minerals
02:50deemed critical by the US government, not just for military hardware
02:55but also for renewable energy equipment.
02:58And according to an American 2008 survey, an estimated 52 billion barrels of oil.
03:05Donald Trump Jr., the US president-elect's son, visited the island on Tuesday
03:10for some sightseeing, he said.
03:12As he met locals, his father called.
03:14Well, you go have a good time, everybody, and we're going to treat you well.
03:18That kind of message is well-received.
03:20While many are comfortable with his relationship with Denmark
03:24and the more than US$500 million that's paid annually to the local government,
03:28some attitudes are changing.
03:31Denmark doesn't matter much to me. It's just a small country.
03:36We can't use them any longer because there are so many great powers in the world.
03:40So our partners should be a great power because Greenland is very wealthy.
03:44We have everything.
03:46Just like people here, Greenlanders are Danish citizens
03:49and members of the European Union.
03:51Away from Denmark, it's not clear yet how much the geopolitics of the Arctic
03:56or the potential wealth from drilling and mining
03:59could galvanize the next American administration in its quest for Greenland.
04:04And Antony Blinken, the current Secretary of State for another week and a half,
04:09doesn't think that this is a goer.
04:11He said it's not a good suggestion, and it's one he says he doesn't think will happen.
04:16And yet, all the political parties in Denmark are meeting in the parliament this evening
04:21because they are so worried about offending what is seen
04:25as a most important military and economic ally, the United States.
04:29And of course, we're a week and a half away from Donald Trump returning as president.