On January 25, Donald Trump made a statement to reporters on the presidential Air Force One. He said, “I think we are going to get it.” Trump was talking about Greenland, a country linked to the Crown of Denmark. For a long time, Trump has been interested in incorporating Greenland into the United States during his term.
A message that has not been well received by the population of the former Danish colony, or by Copenhagen, who have not hesitated to show their refusal to the tycoon, emphasizing that Greenland “is not on sale”, Although it does not seem that the republican is willing to abandon the idea.
Given this situation, the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, started a European tour to collect support from her partners and NATO, in case the situation escalates. In Berlin, Frederiksen said: “Denmark is a small country with strong allies. And it is part of a strong European community in which together we can face the challenges that arise.”
The tour ended in Brussels with a closed-door meeting between Frederiksen and the NATO general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, not Mark Rutte. As it transpired, they would have discussed an action plan that contemplates the reinforcement of the military presence in the Arctic, with a greater deployment of US forces. According to the German agency DPA, this proposal is already being informally discussed with Washington.
However, recent information from The Telegraph has revealed that at least a dozen countries, including Germany, are involved in conversations to define a strategy against the growing pressure from Trump. These conversations could involve the deployment of troops on the island.
Additionally, there have been debates about whether to invoke clause 5, which is related to the mutual defense of states, in case of an invasion by another NATO member state. Prior to taking office, the President of the United States said he could not rule out the use of force or economic measures to take the island, citing “economic security” as his reason for interest.