Denmark Gives Military $2-Billion Boost Amid Greenland Threat

Denmark has announced a 14.6-billion kroner ($2.05-billion) investment to strengthen security in Greenland and the Arctic.

The move comes after President Donald Trump reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland and refused to rule out using military or economic force to take control of the island. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, “We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defense in the Arctic and North Atlantic.”

Newsweek has contacted the Danish Ministry of Defense, the Greenlandic government, and the White House via email for comment.

Danish Navy Greenland — A file photo of a Danish Navy patrol ship in the sea inlet leading to Nuuk, on Greenland, July 20, 2022.

Nigel Jarvis/Getty Images

Why It Matters

Greenland is in a strategic position in the Arctic Ocean, which will likely put the island at the center of growing competition in the region and makes it key to avoid potential future aggression’s from Russia.

The island is also rich in natural resources—including rare earth metals—and sits in the middle of two potential shipping routes through the Arctic, which could reduce shipping times and bypass the Suez and Panama Canals as sea ice melts in the north.

Trump’s repeated assertions that the U.S. should own Greenland—despite strong opposition from Denmark and Greenland’s leaders—have increased concerns about potential future aggression.

What To Know

Denmark’s $2-billion investment includes acquiring three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced imaging capabilities, and strengthening satellite capacity. The agreement covers the Arctic and North Atlantic region, and was negotiated with the governments of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands.

In December, Trump said buying Greenland is “an absolute necessity” for U.S. security.

Last Saturday, he told reporters, “I think we’re going to have it (…) I think the people want to be with us.”

When asked whether he could rule out using force, Trump did not. Instead, he suggested that Denmark had no legitimate claim to the island, stating, “It would be a very unfriendly act if they [Denmark] didn’t allow that to happen.”

A recent survey by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq, showed only 6 percent of Greenlanders are in favor of their island becoming part of the U.S., with 85 percent opposed to the idea and 9 percent undecided.

The poll was based on web interviews conducted between January 22 and 27 among 497 Greenlandic citizens over the age of 18.

What People Are Saying

Múte Egede, Greenland’s Prime Minister, in a Facebook post: “Let me repeat—Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. Our future and fight for independence is our business (…) We should not be caught up in the hysteria and external pressures distracting us from our path.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, to reporters after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron: “This is a very, very clear message (…) that of course there must be respect for territory and the sovereignty of states.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a press conference earlier in January: “We need Greenland for national security purposes. I’ve been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. I mean, people have been talking about it for a long time.

“You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up, because we need it for national security,”