‘We need Greenland for national security’

Donald Trump on Friday warned that he could slap tariffs on countries that do not support his Greenland takeover plans, as US Congress members visited Copenhagen to give their backing for Denmark and its autonomous Arctic island.

The bipartisan delegation, on a two-day trip to the Danish capital, said the US president’s long-held territorial ambitions -- strongly rejected by Denmark -- were not shared by the American people.

Europeans have also been showing their backing for Greenland, in a military reconnaissance mission that a Danish general said Washington was invited to and which was linked to what Russia does after the war in Ukraine.

“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said at a White House event.

The 11 visiting US lawmakers held talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen, as well as Denmark’s foreign and defence ministers, parliamentarians and business leaders.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said there was “good dialogue” and stressed it was important to “nurture” ties between the United States, Denmark and Greenland.

“The vast majority” of Americans do not agree that it is a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, she told reporters.

“Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset,” she added.

The visit follows a meeting in Washington on Wednesday at which Danish representatives said Copenhagen and Washington were in “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland’s future.

In Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, residents welcomed the show of support.

“Congress would never approve of a military action in Greenland. It’s just one idiot speaking,” a 39-year-old union representative told AFP.

“If he (Trump) does it, he’ll get impeached or kicked out,” said the union rep.

Trump has repeatedly criticised Denmark -- a Nato ally -- for, in his view, not doing enough to ensure Greenland’s security.

The US president has pursued that argument, despite strategically located Greenland -- as part of Denmark -- being covered by Nato’s security umbrella.

The head of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, Major General Soren Andersen, said the military mission was “about Russia”.

“When the war in Ukraine is over, hopefully with a good result for Ukraine, it is our expectation that Russia will move the resources they have been using in Ukraine on other theatres,... including in the Arctic,” he told AFP.

“So, in order to prepare for that, we simply have to step up... train, and that is what we are doing up here.”

But he said he had not seen any Russian or Chinese combat ships in the area in the two and a half years he has been commander.

The White House has said Trump’s aim to take over Greenland would not be affected by the European military presence.

Britain, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have announced the deployment of small numbers of military personnel to prepare for future exercises in the Arctic.

Large demonstrations were planned across Denmark and Greenland yesterday to protest against Trump’s plan.