Trump repeats false or exaggerated claims about Greenland as he pushes for US ownership

President Trump has made a series of claims about Green Earth in recent weeks, insisting that the United States needs to take control of the island to protect Americans – a view of Greenland officials and NATO allies. decline.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Mr. Trump called acquiring Greenland is “a fundamental national security interest of the United States of America,” reiterating its interest in acquiring the self-governing territory from Denmark.

Later on Wednesday, after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the president seemed moderate your languagesaying that he and Rutte had reached “the framework of a future agreement” regarding Greenland. The president did not provide details about the alleged agreement.

As he sought to justify his efforts, Trump has claimed in interviews and conversations with world leaders that Denmark has no legal claim to Greenland. He also exaggerated threats from China and Russia, and falsely suggested that Denmark offers almost no defense to the island.

Here’s a closer look at several of those claims.

Trump’s claim that Denmark has no legal claim to Greenland

Mr. Trump wrote in a text exchange with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on January 19: “Denmark can’t protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘property right’ anyway? There are no written documents, it’s just that a ship docked there hundreds of years ago, but we also had ships land there.”

Details: In the text message exchange with Støre, Trump questioned Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, writing that there are “no written documents” establishing ownership.

The statement is false.

There are written agreements and court rulings establishing Denmark’s claim to Greenland, including a statement by the US Secretary of State in 1916 that explicitly recognized Danish control over the territory. An international court also ruled in 1933 that Denmark had valid sovereignty over the entire island.

Danish explorers and settlers began colonizing Greenland in the early 18th century, at a time when the United States was still a British colony.

“Danish expeditions arrived and settled in Greenland centuries ago,” Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, told News themezone in an email. “Since then, Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland has been recognized internationally, including by the United States, just as similar claims are recognized by many other nations around the world.”

Trump’s claim that Russian and Chinese ships surround Greenland

Trump said in a press group It’s January 4th: “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships everywhere.” (press groupJanuary 4)

Trump said at a Jan. 9 conference. press conference: “We need that because if you look outside Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers. There are Chinese destroyers and bigger ones. There are Russian submarines everywhere. We are not going to let Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that’s what they’re going to do if we don’t.”

Details: Trump has also repeatedly claimed that large numbers of Russian and Chinese ships are currently operating near Greenland.

There is no evidence to support that claim.

Greenland Business Minister Naaja Nathanielsen said she was “not aware” of any Russian and Chinese ships or submarines around Greenland when asked about Trump’s comments earlier this month.

MarineTraffic’s public ship-tracking data does not show any Russian- or Chinese-flagged commercial vessels around Greenland, and most of the traffic consists of fishing vessels. While ships can turn off their transponders or spoof their locations, experts say there is no indication of the large-scale naval presence that Trump has described.

“President Trump’s claim that there are Russian and Chinese ships everywhere does not hold up,” Romain Chuffart, managing director of the Arctic Institute, a nonprofit think tank, told News themezone by email.

Other experts have noted that Russian naval activity in the Arctic is concentrated near Norway, while China’s involvement in the Arctic has focused on trade with Russia and exercises near Alaska.

Trump’s claim that Denmark’s defenses in Greenland consist of “two dog sleds”

Mr. Trump said reporters It’s January 11: “And Greenland, basically, their defense is two dog sleds. Did you know that? Do you know what their defense is? Two dog sleds.”

Details: Joking or not, that is incorrect. While the Danish special forces operate the Sirius Sled Dog Patrol, a special force that patrols remote, icy areas using sled dogs, that is only part of their military presence.

Denmark deploys patrol vessels and surveillance aircraft in the Arctic and maintains a military base in Nuuk with around 150 troops, according to the Danish Ministry of Defense.

Danish officials have also committed approximately $6.5 billion to modernize military capabilities in Greenland over the next decade, Chuffart said.

As for the Sirius dog sled patrol, the 12-person team uses dog sleds because it is “the most suitable means of transportation in the region,” according to Chuffart.

The United States already operates an air base in Greenland and has the option to expand its presence under a 1951 agreement with Denmark. Danish officials have said they would welcome greater American security cooperation but insist Greenland is not for sale.