Trump, Denmark, Greenland and EU all comment amid spat over envoy, Ørsted project shut down by US government and more news from Denmark this Tuesday.
Trump brings back ‘national security’ Greenland claim
President Donald Trump on Monday returned to a claim he made several times earlier this year, that the United States needs Greenland for “national security.”
The new comments came after Trump’s appointment of a special envoy to the Danish Arctic island triggered a new spat with Denmark.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said the United States “needs” the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it.
On Sunday, the US president appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, prompting anger from Denmark, which summoned the US ambassador.
“We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals,” Trump told a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.
“If you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he said.
“We need it for national security. We have to have it,” the president said, adding that Landry “wanted to lead the charge”.
On his appointment, Landry immediately vowed to make the Danish territory “a part of the US”.
Denmark, Greenland and EU issues statements
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen earlier Monday said in a joint statement that Greenland belongs to Greenlanders.
“You cannot annex another country,” they said. “We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he was “deeply angered” by the move and warned Washington to respect Denmark’s sovereignty.
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The European Union later offered its “full solidarity” to Denmark.
Løkke earlier told TV2 television the appointment and statements were “totally unacceptable” and, several hours later, said the US ambassador had been called up to the ministry for an explanation.
“We summoned the American ambassador to the foreign ministry today for a meeting, together with the Greenlandic representative, where we very clearly drew a red line and also asked for an explanation,” Løkke told broadcaster DR in an interview.
Ørsted weighing legal action after US cancel wind power production
Danish wind power company Ørsted said it will consider possible legal steps after its two wind farm projects off the US east coast, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, were ordered by the US administration to suspend all activities.
The US Department of the Interior said on Monday ordered activities on the wind farms to be halted for the next 90 days.
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum claimed in a post on X that the wind farms were being shut for security reasons, while describing offshore wind farms as expensive, unreliable and heavily subsidised.
In response, Ørsted said in a statement that the two wind farms will be able to deliver “reliable, affordable power” to Americans in 2026.
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“Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind are fully permitted, having secured all required federal and state permits following comprehensive, years-long reviews,” it said.
Ørsted is complying with the order but “evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously,” it said in the statement.
“This includes engagement with [the Department of the Interior] and other permitting agencies as well as the evaluation of potential legal proceedings,” it said.
Large majority want non-smoking pubs
Small pubs, known as værtshuse in Danish, are still allowed to permit indoor smoking under national laws.
A national survey on behalf of the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse) found that 86 percent prefer to visit an establishment without smoke hanging in the air.
The organisation says this reflects a need for stricter rules against indoor smoking in bars.