Sled dogs in the Greenland landscape (Photo: Markus Trienke (CC)) https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtrienke/34999131992/

Greenland will not be a part of the United States of America. With clear statements by all political parties of the Arctic island semi-independence state, Greenland clearly says “no” to the wish of US president-elect Donald Trump to annex Greenland into the USA.

Danish Radio reported about the stance of Greenland’s political parties. It marks the end of a turbulent two weeks about the future of Greenland. This much is clear after a week of turbulence about Greenland. The island is semi-autonomous since 1979, but territory of Denmark since 1814. Denmark is responsible for Greenland’s defence, while it allows the United States to use a military base on the island.

Trump: “Greenland by military force”

But for US president-elect Donald Trump, this is not enough. Already during his first time in the presidential office, he proposed to buy Greenland. Back in 2019, it resulted in a clear “no” from both Denmark and Greenland. This time, Trump has threatened with economical or military measures to take Greenland by force, a rather remarkable threat towards long-term US and NATO ally Denmark. It resulted in angry reactions by European heads of government, as Trump was threatening European Union territory as well.

Denmark neglected Greenland’s defences

However, the defence of Greenland – possibly rich in raw materials – has been somewhat neglected by Denmark in the past decades. The full Danish military presence is made up of a single patrol unit of 12 elite infantrymen and two radio operators, augmented with a single unarmed surveillance and patrol aircraft and irregular patrols of one or two naval vessels. The latter are not up to military standards either, as you could read in the story Military protection of Greenland and Faroe Islands severely crippled, publised on 22 February 2024 on Nordicreporter.com.

“Expand US presence on Greenland”

Knowing that Greenland’s defences against, let’s say, Russian or Chinese aggression are week, the Danish government has offered the United States and Trump to expand its military presence on the island. Currently, the US has a limited footprint at Pituffik Space Base, where a limited crew operates a radar system that should warn the US military of ballistic missile launches over the North Pole against North America.

Denmark invests in Greenland’s military

Denmark itself also comes with a new investment plan for Greenland’s defences, according to Danish media, totalling to about EUR 1.5 billion. It includes expansion of the ground force by two additional dog-sled teams, likely 12 elite combat soldiers plus two radio operators each like with the standing force. Moreover, Copenhagen wants to allocate two new inspection ships and two new long-range drones to the Arctic area. Plans also call for one of the civilian airports of either Nuuk, Ilulissat, or Paamiut to boost its facilities to house F-35 combat jet operations – aircraft that both the United States Air Force, Navy, Marines and the Royal Danish Air Force operate.

Although the week has ended with a clear “no” by Greenland’s political parties, experts believe that the US will increase its influence on Greenland one way or the other after president Trump takes office on 20 January this year.

UPDATE 16 JANUARY 2025:

The first results of Trump’s pressure are already. Despite the clear “no” to annexing Greenland, the island’s Prime Minister Múte Egede expressed to be open to work together with the United States on military issues and on mining raw materials, according to Danish press. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured photo: sled dogs in the Greenland landscape (Photo by Markus Trienke (CC))