Greenland - arguments

Mandate

Trump, Vance etc. have questioned the Danish mandate even if USA in the treaty on purchase of the Virgin Islands in 1916-1917 did recognize Danish sovereignty over Greenland (Treaty of the Danish West Indies – Wikipedia. This Danish claim was challenged by Norway ending up in the International Court in 1933 deciding against Norway based among other on the Treaty of Kiel in 1814 and provided that Denmark did show permanent presence in Eastern Greenland hence the Sirius Patrol was established. Finaly USA in the baseagreement in 1951 confirmed the Danish control but was granted all baseright/military presence just on consultative basis.

Mandate/connection – other

Trump have a number of times spoken as if the Danish connection to Greenland is based on a few ships some hundred years ago. Much more to show how ridiculous this statement is can be read at Greenland – Wikipedia. A short version. Danes-Norwegians where present on the south-western coast well 500 years from 986 and even from there had presence some years in New Foundland Vinland – Wikipedia . The presence reappeared with a merchantile/clerical expedition in 1761 colonising the area around present Nuuk resulting among other in cristianity now being the dominant religion, clear Danish influence in the inuit/greenlandic language and a lot of people of mixed origin. By now 6% of the population are named Danish, nearly all familynames originates from Denmark and more than a quarter of the Greenlanders live in Denmark.

DogSleigh – military defence

Trump has a number of times stated that the (only) Danish military step up has been one extra dog sleigh. This is not correct. No extra dog sleigh have been purchased but 15 extra dogs from the western part of north Greenland have come in and ability to parachute down manned snow scooters have been established over the last year. 

In spring 2025 significant other military step-up purchases where decided much of which ment for the arctic area eg. raising from 27 F35 fighter jets (of which 6 stationed in USA) to 43. Denmark to acquire 16 additional F-35 fighter jets . In september some European NATO-partners participated in “Arctic Light 2025” Large-Scale Exercise in Greenland with NATO Allies and in mid January 2026 followed up by the actual “Arctic Endurance” that have been clearly observable in Nuuk and due to the reaction from Trump to put further tarifs on imports from (most of) the participating European countries

Chinese ships and investments

Trump and his gang has repeatedly told that the greenlandic seas are crowded with russian and Chinese ships.

According to the Danish minister of Foreign Affairs Løkke Rasmussen it is 10 years since a chinese warship did sail in the actual waters and they are not even of any significance among commercial ships. As part of the Chinese “Road and Belt” concept the NorthWest Passage (North of Canada and down between Canada and Greenland have been of their interest but until further Global Warming or Chinese improved U-boat technology to pass under artic ice there are no actual consequenses. The subject is descriped in a Danish Military Intelligence Report in 2025 USA seemingly gives priority to a number of other places. What is known is that some Russian fishing boats do have a supplementary military purpose and in that context a landing agreement with Faroe Islands have been much discussed.