Denmark hits
back at ‘tone’ of US vice-president’s criticism over Greenland
‘This is not
how you talk to your close allies,’ says Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke
Rasmussen
Guardian
staff and agency
Sat 29 Mar
2025 12.12 GMT
Denmark has
hit back against JD Vance’s comments that Copenhagen has not done enough for
Greenland.
The US
vice-president made his remark on Friday during a trip to the Pituffik space
base in north-western Greenland, viewed by both Copenhagen and Nuuk as a
provocation.
“Our message
to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of
Greenland,” Vance told a press conference.
“You have
underinvested in the people of Greenland and you have underinvested in the
security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass.”
The Danish
foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said on X on Saturday: “We are open to
criticisms, but let me be completely honest, we do not appreciate the tone in
which it’s being delivered.
“This is not
how you speak to your close allies, and I still consider Denmark and the United
States to be close allies.”
Trump argues
that the US needs the vast Arctic island for national and international
security and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it.
“I think
Greenland understands that the United States should own it,” Vance said in a
press conference on Friday. “And if Denmark and the EU don’t understand it, we
have to explain it to them. We need Greenland. Very importantly, for
international security, we have to have Greenland.”
Asked about
the potential use of force, Vance stressed the US administration did not think
that “is ever going to be necessary”.
“We think
this makes sense, and because we think the people of Greenland are rational and
good, we think we’re going to be able to cut a deal, Donald Trump-style, to
ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,”
Vance said.
Greenland, a
former Danish colony, is a semi-autonomous territory within the kingdom of
Denmark and its foreign and security policies are run by Copenhagen.
Denmark’s
prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, also hit back at Vance in a statement.
“For many
years, we have stood by the Americans in very difficult situations,” she said,
referring to Danish combat deployments alongside US troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
“The
vice-president’s reference to Denmark is not accurate.”
Vance was
accompanied by his wife, Usha, and a delegation including the national security
adviser, Mike Waltz, the energy secretary, Chris Wright, Utah senator Mike Lee
and former homeland security adviser Julia Nesheiwat, who is Waltz’s wife.
Danish and
Greenlandic officials, backed by the EU, have insisted that the US will not
obtain Greenland.
This week,
Frederiksen accused the US of putting “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and
Denmark to give up the territory, adding: “It is pressure that we will resist.”
A majority
of Greenlanders oppose US annexation, according to a January poll.
The Pituffik
base is an essential part of Washington’s missile defence infrastructure, its
location in the Arctic putting it along the shortest route for missiles fired
from Russia at the US.
Known as
Thule air base until 2023, it served as a warning post for possible attacks
from the Soviet Union during the cold war.
It is also a
strategic location for air and submarine surveillance.
In January,
Copenhagen said it would allocate almost £1.5bn to beef up its presence in the
Arctic and north Atlantic, acquiring specialised vessels and surveillance
equipment.
While all of
Greenland’s political parties are in favour of independence, none of them
supports the idea of becoming part of the US.
Hours before
Vance’s arrival, political leaders agreed to form a broad four-party coalition
government in a show of national unity. Four of the territory’s five parties
signed the coalition agreement on Friday, which states on page one: “Greenland
belongs to us.”
The incoming
prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, called for unity. “It is very important
that we put aside our disagreements and differences … because only in this way
will we be able to cope with the heavy pressure we are exposed to from
outside,” he said.
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