How Trump's statements about Greenland "shook" Denmark and what Copenhagen will do
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance visited the American space base in the northern part of Greenland, where he, among other things, intensified his criticism towards Denmark.
The visit took place against the backdrop of Donald Trump's statements about wanting to annex the Arctic island to the United States.
The US president's remarks, however, united the Greenlanders and forced Copenhagen to take a more active stance.
Read more about Denmark's response to the aggressive statements of Donald Trump's administration, as well as the position of the Greenlanders and their government in the article by Ivanna Kostina, a European Pravda journalist – Willingness for a tough conversation: how Denmark responds to Trump's threats to take Greenland.
American officials are not welcome on the island after their expansionist statements, and they do not hesitate to show it.
So when it became known early last week about the planned visit of the US delegation led by the Second Lady, Usha Vance, to Greenland, the reaction was swift.
Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Egede stated that the visit, under the current circumstances, looked like a provocation. The Prime Minister of Denmark took a similar position, stating that the US is exerting "unacceptable pressure" on the Greenlanders with this visit.
A tourist agency in Nuuk, which initially agreed to allow the Vice President's wife to visit its office, later withdrew its permission, saying it did not want to participate in a political circus or be associated with MAGA in any way.
Under these circumstances, and amid expectations of protests, the Americans ultimately decided not to visit the cities of Nuuk and Sisimiut, not to observe the dog sled races, limiting themselves to just the Pituffik base. Usha Vance was joined on the trip by her husband, US Vice President.
The shortening of the visit programme was a small victory for the Greenlanders, which was also welcomed in Denmark.
However, the situation was not without scandal. At the American military base in Pituffik, JD Vance stated that Denmark was not investing enough in the island’s security architecture and that the US "had no choice" but to take an important stance to ensure the island’s security.
The increasingly sharp tone of statements from Washington over the past ten days demanded a response from the Frederiksen government.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the country is open to criticism, but not in such a tone. He referred to the 1951 defence agreement between Denmark and the US, which "opens up broad opportunities for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland."
"If this is what you want, let's discuss it," Rasmussen added.
Similarly, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reacted to Vance's speech.
The public in Denmark also did not remain silent. On Saturday, the day after Vance’s visit to the island, protests took place in Copenhagen, near the US embassy, and in Aarhus. The main message of these actions was to emphasise the unity of Denmark and Greenland in the face of US pressure.
But even this does not stop Donald Trump. In an interview on 29 March, he stated that the US will 100% get the island.
On the same day, Frederiksen’s office announced her upcoming "visit to strengthen unity with Greenland." On 2 April, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen begins a three-day tour of the island.
Her visit will take place before the new Greenlandic government starts working, with its first session scheduled for 7 April. It will also occur ahead of the first high-level American-Danish meeting, which is set for 3 April.
Frederiksen’s visit was warmly welcomed by Greenland’s future Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokratit party.
He openly expresses his desire to strengthen the partnership with Denmark and criticises the recent statements of Donald Trump.