'It Would Be The Dumbest War In History': Danish MP Hits Back At Trump's Greenland Threats
A Danish MP has called Donald Trump’s threats to seize Greenland a contender for the “most illegitimate land grab in history”.
The US president has insisted that he “needs” the Arctic island for “defence” against China and Russia, even though it is a Danish territory.
His words have caused serious alarm across Europe. Seizing it would also put Nato at risk as both Denmark and the US are members of the defence alliance.
But Danish MP Ramus Jarlov told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the president’s threats were “surreal”.
He said: “There’s no legal claim, there’s no historical ownership, no broken treaties, certainly no threat.
“The Americans will gain absolutely nothing that they don’t already have.”
Jarlov also claimed “there is no serious threat from China or Russia in Greenland.” either.
“They don’t have any activities there. They don’t have consulates. They don’t have any mining activities. They don’t own anything. They’re simply not there,” the MP added.
He continued: “It’s a contender for the most illegitimate land grab in modern history and if it came to military confrontation, it would be the dumbest war in history.”
He added: “It’s something we would have never thought we would hear from the Americans who have been some of our best friends, since their independence, and with whom we have fought in so many wars over the past decades, for one purpose, to help the Americans.”
He said: “Nothing will be achieved except for burning down the entire Western alliance. Because, I mean, who is going to want to be allies of the Americans if you get attacked when you are an ally?”
On Trump’s attempts to buy the Arctic island, the MP said: “You just don’t sell people and land. I mean, why not sell I don’t know, York or Scotland to the Americans. You just don’t do that. They’re part of Denmark and they are part of Denmark because they want to be.
“They, for a long time, have had the option of leaving Denmark, they have not wanted to. They want to stay with Denmark. At least for now.”
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander also did not rule out deploying UK troops to Greenland when speaking to Sky, although she did say such proposals are “business as usual discussions” between Nato nations.
Meanwhile, former US ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson seemed less concerned about the prospect of more American aggression.
He told the BBC: “We all know, don’t we? President Trump is not going to land on Greenland and take Greenland by force or buy the whole place.”
He predicted there would be a lot of discussion before the whole of the west “wakes up” to the reality that the Arctic needs securing against China and Russia.
“If you ask me who is going to lead in that effort to secure, we all know, don’t we, that it’s going to the United States.”