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Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Trump's Greenland Bid Poses Global Dangers, Says the Woman Facing Him Down
U.S. President Donald Trump's push to prise Greenland away from Denmark poses global dangers as growing security challenges imperil the world order, Denmark's prime minister told Newsweek. Leader of one of Europe's smaller countries, Mette Frederiksen has been thrust into an unexpected confrontation with the world's most powerful president over the giant Arctic island, which she says must decide its own fate. Earlier this month, Trump said he would not rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland on the grounds it is critical for U.S. and world security. "I have tried to de-escalate the situation, because in this world, with a very aggressive Russia, with a closer cooperation between Iran, North Korea and Russia, helped by China, I will do what I can to ensure that nothing goes wrong between allies and good friends and partners. But at the same time, we have to stick to the most important values and principles," Frederiksen said in an exclusive interview at her office in Copenhagen's Christiansborg Palace. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a member of NATO. While opinion polls in January showed the vast majority of Greenlanders sought independence from Denmark, even more were opposed to it joining the United States. "I'm pretty sure that there is a big interest in the U.S., especially from the president, when it comes to Greenland. I'm also listening when officials and representatives from the government are saying that, 'of course, we will not do anything by force,'" she said. "We have to believe that. Because a situation where an ally attacks another ally would be very, very wrong, and it will challenge not only the relationship to the Kingdom of Denmark, but the transatlantic relationship and that would be, I think, very dangerous for all of us." Denmark was very ready to help step up security for Greenland and the Arctic in conjunction with NATO allies, she said, but could not accept the principle of big states taking over other parts of the world or another country's territory. "It's not only a question about Denmark and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. We cannot agree with U.S. on this point, because then we will undermine the world order that we have built up since the Second World War." The tussle over Greenland came as a shock to Frederiksen, a 47-year-old Social Democrat who has been prime minister since 2019 and grew up in an era of gratitude to the United States for both the help it gave Europe in World War II and the role it had played in the NATO security alliance. Frederiksen chose her words carefully. She paused occasionally to pick from the carrot and cucumber sticks placed alongside the coffee and tea on the meeting room table as healthy snacks. "When you are a true believer in the transatlantic alliance, and by the way, always have been a very good ally to the U.S., it has been quite a surprise to listen to the words coming from the U.S.," she said. The tariffs imposed by Trump on Europe to try to redress trade imbalances have been another source of friction. As a member of the European Union, Denmark does not hold separate trade negotiations with the United States. "I think a trade war will be a problem, not only for Europe, but for everybody, and therefore everything we're doing is to avoid it," Frederiksen said. "What I'm trying to say to our American friends and colleagues is that there are so many challenges globally. At the moment, things are moving in the wrong direction." Now it was time to rearm Europe, Frederiksen said: not because the United States could not be trusted, but because Europe had been failing to do enough to defend itself—a theme echoed by officials in the Trump administration who say Europe funded its welfare states as U.S. taxpayers paid for its security umbrella. "It has been a mistake that after the end of the Cold War that we reduced our military budgets in a big part of Europe. It was a mistake, and maybe one of the most important things right now is to agree that it will never happen again," she said. "We have to be able to defend ourselves, to deter Russia, and I don't think it's fair to ask somebody else to come and defend you if you're not willing to do it yourself." Relative to its economic might, Denmark has been one of the biggest financial supporters of Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022. Frederiksen said it would be "a disaster" if Russia won the war. If European countries thought the strains on the relationship with the United States should push them toward China, it would be the "wrong answer," she said. "The answer is building a strong Europe and a strong Europe that is open minded and able to work, of course, globally, with different partners, including China," she said. "To make a strategic choice now, less U.S., more China will be, I think, not the right way forward." One area on which Frederiksen and Trump may share common ground is immigration. Denmark adopted one of the toughest asylum policies in Europe with broad political support in the face of surging arrivals of people from the Middle East and Africa, some with radical Islamist ideologies. While it curbed inward immigration, Denmark now faces the challenge of deporting migrants who have committed crimes. In doing so, it has come against rulings from the European Court of Human Rights based on the European Convention on Human Rights. "The court has, of course, the right to be a court, but not to be an activist or not to take decisions. And I think the balance has tipped so we need to be in political and therefore democratic control with the legislation," she said. "Europe is not able to welcome everybody, and maybe most important now, we have to be sure that we can get rid of people again if they don't behave well. It's not a human right to enter Denmark and do a rape and stay." Alongside her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, Frederiksen is now spearheading a push to get the court to make it easier to deport foreign criminals. Given the multiple global security challenges, Frederiksen voiced concern that climate change could end up being sidelined. Denmark has become a leader in green energy—particularly from the winds that all too often bluster the flat land pinned between the North Sea and the Baltic. Trump, meanwhile, has voiced skepticism over climate change and declared a national energy emergency in order to ramp up production of coal, oil and gas, which emit the carbon dioxide that many scientists say is causing global temperatures to rise. "I have this feeling that climate change, the green transition renewables, you know, there's not the focus that just was there a few years ago," she said. "But I really think we have to keep our ambitions of the green transition very, very high." Read the full interview in the June 20-27 issue of Newsweek, out on June 13 and online from June 11. Update 5/28/25, 7 a.m. ET: The headline was changed. Related Articles Nearly Half of Americans Say Trump Not Being Transparent About HealthIsrael Plans Iran Attack Even if Trump Reaches Nuclear Deal: ReportZelensky Makes Trump, Putin ProposalSavannah Chrisley Reacts to Donald Trump Pardoning Parents 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump's Greenland Bid Poses Global Dangers, Says the Woman Facing Him Down
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. U.S. President Donald Trump's push to prise Greenland away from Denmark poses global dangers as growing security challenges imperil the world order, Denmark's prime minister told Newsweek. Leader of one of Europe's smaller countries, Mette Frederiksen has been thrust into an unexpected confrontation with the world's most powerful president over the giant Arctic island, which she says must decide its own fate. Earlier this month, Trump said he would not rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland on the grounds it is critical for U.S. and world security. "I have tried to de-escalate the situation, because in this world, with a very aggressive Russia, with a closer cooperation between Iran, North Korea and Russia, helped by China, I will do what I can to ensure that nothing goes wrong between allies and good friends and partners. But at the same time, we have to stick to the most important values and principles," Frederiksen said in an exclusive interview at her office in Copenhagen's Christiansborg Palace. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Newsweek she "will do what I can to ensure that nothing goes wrong between allies and good friends and partners." Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Newsweek she "will do what I can to ensure that nothing goes wrong between allies and good friends and partners." Kasper Loftgaard for Newsweek Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a member of NATO. While opinion polls in January showed the vast majority of Greenlanders sought independence from Denmark, even more were opposed to it joining the United States. NATO at Stake "I'm pretty sure that there is a big interest in the U.S., especially from the president, when it comes to Greenland. I'm also listening when officials and representatives from the government are saying that, 'of course, we will not do anything by force,'" she said. "We have to believe that. Because a situation where an ally attacks another ally would be very, very wrong, and it will challenge not only the relationship to the Kingdom of Denmark, but the transatlantic relationship and that would be, I think, very dangerous for all of us." Denmark was very ready to help step up security for Greenland and the Arctic in conjunction with NATO allies, she said, but could not accept the principle of big states taking over other parts of the world or another country's territory. A situation where an ally attacks another ally would be very, very wrong "It's not only a question about Denmark and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. We cannot agree with U.S. on this point, because then we will undermine the world order that we have built up since the Second World War." The tussle over Greenland came as a shock to Frederiksen, a 47-year-old Social Democrat who has been prime minister since 2019 and grew up in an era of gratitude to the United States for both the help it gave Europe in World War II and the role it had played in the NATO security alliance. Frederiksen chose her words carefully. She paused occasionally to pick from the carrot and cucumber sticks placed alongside the coffee and tea on the meeting room table as healthy snacks. "When you are a true believer in the transatlantic alliance, and by the way, always have been a very good ally to the U.S., it has been quite a surprise to listen to the words coming from the U.S.," she said. Trade Wars The tariffs imposed by Trump on Europe to try to redress trade imbalances have been another source of friction. As a member of the European Union, Denmark does not hold separate trade negotiations with the United States. "I think a trade war will be a problem, not only for Europe, but for everybody, and therefore everything we're doing is to avoid it," Frederiksen said. "What I'm trying to say to our American friends and colleagues is that there are so many challenges globally. At the moment, things are moving in the wrong direction." I don't think it's fair to ask somebody else to come and defend you if you're not willing to do it yourself Now it was time to rearm Europe, Frederiksen said: not because the United States could not be trusted, but because Europe had been failing to do enough to defend itself—a theme echoed by officials in the Trump administration who say Europe funded its welfare states as U.S. taxpayers paid for its security umbrella. "It has been a mistake that after the end of the Cold War that we reduced our military budgets in a big part of Europe. It was a mistake, and maybe one of the most important things right now is to agree that it will never happen again," she said. "We have to be able to defend ourselves, to deter Russia, and I don't think it's fair to ask somebody else to come and defend you if you're not willing to do it yourself." Ukraine War Relative to its economic might, Denmark has been one of the biggest financial supporters of Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022. Frederiksen said it would be "a disaster" if Russia won the war. If European countries thought the strains on the relationship with the United States should push them toward China, it would be the "wrong answer," she said. Prime Minister Frederiksen speaks with Newsweek's Matthew Tostevin. Prime Minister Frederiksen speaks with Newsweek's Matthew Tostevin. Kasper Loftgaard for Newsweek "The answer is building a strong Europe and a strong Europe that is open minded and able to work, of course, globally, with different partners, including China," she said. "To make a strategic choice now, less U.S., more China will be, I think, not the right way forward." One area on which Frederiksen and Trump may share common ground is immigration. Denmark adopted one of the toughest asylum policies in Europe with broad political support in the face of surging arrivals of people from the Middle East and Africa, some with radical Islamist ideologies. While it curbed inward immigration, Denmark now faces the challenge of deporting migrants who have committed crimes. In doing so, it has come against rulings from the European Court of Human Rights based on the European Convention on Human Rights. Immigration Court Challenge "The court has, of course, the right to be a court, but not to be an activist or not to take decisions. And I think the balance has tipped so we need to be in political and therefore democratic control with the legislation," she said. "Europe is not able to welcome everybody, and maybe most important now, we have to be sure that we can get rid of people again if they don't behave well. It's not a human right to enter Denmark and do a rape and stay." Alongside her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, Frederiksen is now spearheading a push to get the court to make it easier to deport foreign criminals. Climate Ambitions Given the multiple global security challenges, Frederiksen voiced concern that climate change could end up being sidelined. Denmark has become a leader in green energy—particularly from the winds that all too often bluster the flat land pinned between the North Sea and the Baltic. Trump, meanwhile, has voiced skepticism over climate change and declared a national energy emergency in order to ramp up production of coal, oil and gas, which emit the carbon dioxide that many scientists say is causing global temperatures to rise. "I have this feeling that climate change, the green transition renewables, you know, there's not the focus that just was there a few years ago," she said. "But I really think we have to keep our ambitions of the green transition very, very high." Frederiksen said of energy that "we have to keep our ambitions of the green transition very, very high." Frederiksen said of energy that "we have to keep our ambitions of the green transition very, very high." Kasper Loftgaard for Newsweek Read the full interview in the June 20-27 issue of Newsweek, out on June 13 and online from June 11.
Politico
23-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
Denmark goes to K Street amid Greenland standoff
With Daniel Lippman FARA FRIDAY: The Danish Embassy in Washington has enlisted some PR firepower amid President Donald Trump's threats to seize the semi-autonomous Danish island of Greenland. — The Embassy last month retained Mercury Public Affairs, the K Street home of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles before she joined the administration. The firm will provide a range of services including public opinion research, messaging development, reputation management, social media monitoring, positive storytelling and media relations, according to documents filed with the Justice Department. — The four-month contract is worth $263,000, DOJ filings show, and the team working on the account for Mercury includes Ashley Bauman, Trent Lefkowitz, Scott Pollenz and James Anderson. — Denmark's PR blitz comes amid months of posturing by the Trump administration over the president's Greenland threats. Vice President JD Vance visited a Space Force base on Greenland in March, but the trip was scaled back amid backlash from Greenlanders as well as Danish officials over Trump's annexation rhetoric. — Earlier this month, Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker he wouldn't rule out the use of military force to acquire the island, which boasts a trove of rare earth mineral reserves and occupies a strategic spot in the Arctic. Meanwhile, the U.S. has ordered ramped-up intelligence-gathering efforts 'to identify people in Greenland and Denmark who support U.S. objectives for the island,' the Wall Street Journal reported. IN OTHER FARA NEWS: Ballard Partners has registered to lobby for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, Taiwan's de facto embassy in the U.S., as the island works to avert steep tariffs and remain on the Trump administration's good side with regard to defense spending. — TECRO will pay the firm a monthly retainer of $60,000 to 'engage in lobbying and public relations by communicating with U.S. government officials' to promote Taiwan's interests and economic development initiatives and shape policy outcomes, according to a copy of the contract filed with DOJ. Jasmine Zaki, who leads Ballard's Middle East and North Africa practice, will work on the account along with Brian Ballard, Syl Lukis and former foreign service officer Aaron Sampson. — Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, would have been hit with a 32 percent tariff on all exports to the U.S. under Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs that are currently on pause. At a Commerce Department foreign investment summit this month, Taiwan sent the largest delegation out of hundreds of countries as officials touted Taiwanese investments in the U.S. — including an additional $100 billion pledged by semiconductor giant TSMC in March. Taipei has also been lobbying U.S. officials to let it buy American-made drones. — Though this is Ballard's first time working directly for the Taiwanese government, the two sides have done business before. From 2022 until last year, the firm lobbied on behalf of the Guatemalan government under an unusual arrangement in which Taipei footed the bill. TGIF and welcome to PI. A quick programming note: We'll be off on Monday for the holiday, but PI will be back in your inboxes Tuesday. In the meantime, shoot me some tips. You can add me on Signal, email me at coprysko@ and be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. THE LONG ARM OF ELON: 'Billionaire Elon Musk's DOGE team is expanding use of his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok in the U.S. federal government to analyze data, said three people familiar with the matter, potentially violating conflict-of-interest laws and putting at risk sensitive information on millions of Americans,' according to Reuters' Marisa Taylor and Alexandra Ulmer. — 'Such use of Grok could reinforce concerns among privacy advocates and others that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency team appears to be casting aside long-established protections over the handling of sensitive data as President Donald Trump shakes up the U.S. bureaucracy.' — While specifics about what data had been used thus far were unclear, technology and government ethics experts warned that 'if the data was sensitive or confidential government information, the arrangement could violate security and privacy laws' in addition to potentially providing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO with 'access to valuable nonpublic federal contracting data at agencies he privately does business with,' which could also be used to train the AI model. MORE NEW BUSINESS: Several more targets of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA movement brought on new lobbyists in recent weeks, in the lead-up to yesterday's report on chronic disease among children, per new disclosure filings. — The National Oilseed Processors Association — which represents soybean, canola, flaxseed, safflower seed and sunflower seed oil producers — and the Edible Oil Producers Association — which represents producers of edible fats and oils used in cooking and baking — retained Food Directions' Maggie Gentile beginning last month to lobby on issues related to the use and regulation of such products. — Kennedy has previously warned that American consumers are being 'unknowingly poisoned' by seed oils used by fast food restaurants. But Thursday's MAHA Commission report was tamer, comparing the nutritional differences between 'ultra-processed fats' and animal-based ones in a section bemoaning the displacement of 'nutrient-dense whole foods' in Americans' diets. — Even that triggered pushback from seed oil groups, with NOPA accusing the commission of 'undermining' seed oils 'without credible scientific justification' and urging it to 'remain grounded in sound, evidence-based nutrition science.' — Mars Inc., the food conglomerate whose brands include M&M's, Dove, Kind and Ben's Rice, brought on The Duberstein Group at the beginning of May, according to a disclosure filing. — Ben Howard, a former Trump White House and Steve Scalise aide; Dave Schiappa, a former Mitch McConnell aide; Kate Keating, a former Joe Crowley chief of staff; and Elizabeth Kelley, a former Obama White House and Max Baucus aide, have been working on issues related to food safety, health, supply chain, tax and trade policy. SCHLAPP PICKS UP SOME NEW CLIENTS: Matt Schlapp's lobbying roster has grown for the first time since the end of the previous Trump administration. The Trump ally and head of the American Conservative Union registered to lobby this week for a pair of new clients, the investment firm Xtellus Partners and investigative data company LeadsOnline. — Schlapp began working for both companies last month, according to disclosure filings, advising Xtellus on a sanctions waiver application and lobbying on funding for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network on behalf of LeadsOnline. — Schlapp's lobbying firm Cove Strategies has largely been dormant since Trump left office in 2021. The firm parted ways with half a dozen clients after Trump lost reelection, including Samsung and eHealth, according to lobbying disclosures. — Software giant Oracle has been the firm's only lobbying client in the meantime, paying Schlapp $50,000 each quarter to lobby Congress on 'general tech issues' — even as Schlapp was accused of sexual misconduct in a 2023 lawsuit by a Republican operative. (The operative dropped the lawsuit last year following a six-figure settlement and described the accusations as a 'misunderstanding.') Schlapp, LeadsOnline and Xtellus did not respond to requests for comment. $1M WELL SPENT: 'Apple shares dropped as much as 3% Friday after President Donald Trump threatened the tech giant with a 25% tariff if it does not start producing iPhones in the U.S. — his latest salvo directly targeting a U.S. company over how it conducts its business,' NBC's Rob Wile and Steve Kopack report. — 'In a post on his Truth Social platform Friday morning, Trump wrote he had 'long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone's that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else. If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.'' — 'In remarks to the press early Friday afternoon, Trump clarified that any tariff imposed on Apple would also apply to devices imported by companies like Samsung 'and any other company that makes that product.'' FLYING IN: Local leaders from State Municipal Leagues around the country were in town this week as part of a fly-in organized by the National League of Cities to rally support for key policy issues in D.C. Those included ensuring the reconciliation bill doesn't strip a tax exemption for municipal bonds and ensuring reliable disaster relief and resuming the flow of federal funding that's affected local services. Participants met with offices on the Hill in addition to OMB, DOT, HUD, FEMA and EPA. — Meta was also on the Hill on Thursday with nearly 140 small business owners from the tech giant's Meta Boost Leaders Network to discuss Meta's AI tools and the importance of targeted advertising in growing their businesses. The group met with more than 50 offices on both sides of the Capitol as part of the second tech-backed fly-in this month featuring small business owners highlighting the benefits of online ad targeting. Jobs report — Brett McGurk has joined Cisco as special adviser for the Middle East and international affairs. He's a non-resident senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and previously was NSC coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa. — David Sours is now a director of federal government affairs at Philip Morris International. He previously was with Rep. Buddy Carter's (R-Ga.) office and is a Phil Gingrey, Jody Hice and Drew Ferguson alum. — Jerrob Duffy is now a partner at Hogan Lovells. He previously was a partner at Squire Patton Boggs. — Sofia Rose Haft is now director of strategic partnerships at Anduril Industries. She was previously the company's director of communications and formerly served as head of policy at Snapchat. She is also a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. — Jed Mandel is stepping down as president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association after 50 years with the trade group, 25 of which were spent leading it. — Will Boyington has joined NASA as senior adviser to the associate administrator for communications, Morning Defense reports. He was previously the external communications director at Blue Origin and has held roles at the National Space Council, Rep. Dan Newhouse's office, and the House Oversight Committee. — JPMorganChase has launched the Center for Geopolitics, a new client advisory service led by Derek Chollet, the former State Department counsellor and former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, per MD. New Joint Fundraisers Oklahomans for Al Green (Keep Al Green in Congress, Oklahoma Democratic Party) New PACs Always Free (Leadership PAC: Tom Willis) CONSERVATIVE VALUES FOR LOUISIANA (Super PAC) Eastern North Carolina - ENCPAC (Leadership PAC: Sandy Roberson) Progressive Values Illinois (Super PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Actum I, LLC: Seiu Local 32Bj Arentfox Schiff LLP: Holcim (US) Inc. Giizhik Law Pllc: Inupiat Community Of The Arctic Slope Giizhik Law Pllc: Red Lake Band Of Chippewa Indians Giizhik Law Pllc: Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Jpc Strategies, LLC: Abilene Chamber Of Commerce Klein Law Group Pllc: Etheridge Pipeline & Conduit, LLC Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Stonington Global Obo Tl Management The Duberstein Group Inc.: Apiject Systems, Corp. The Duberstein Group Inc.: Cencora, Inc. The Duberstein Group Inc.: Mars Incorporated The Duberstein Group Inc.: Ursa Major Technologies, Inc. Tsg Advocates Dc, LLC: Parker Vision Inc. Tsg Advocates Dc, LLC: Protecting American Innovations, Inc. Valcour LLC: Aggreko US Valcour LLC: Magellan Investment Holdings, Ltd New Lobbying Terminations Capitol South, LLC: Mary Gaylord Mclean Capitol South, LLC: Melissa A. Moore Clark Hill Public Strategies LLC: Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd. Courier Plus, Inc. Dba Dutchie: Courier Plus, Inc. Dba Dutchie Skladany Consulting LLC: Kasich Company On Behalf Of Atx Networks
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
American threats push Greenland closer to Denmark
AMERICAN SPOOKS boast formidable intelligence-gathering tools. On any given day they might be hoovering up the phone records of suspected terrorists or tracking Russian troops in Ukraine. These days, however, spies can be found snooping on a target much closer to home: Greenland. According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration directed its intelligence agencies, including the CIA and National Security Agency, to step up surveillance of Greenland's independence movement and identify locals sympathetic to American designs on the Arctic island. It is the latest twist in President Donald Trump's stated desire to buy or conquer the self-governing territory of 56,000 people, which is part of the kingdom of Denmark. A visit in March by the vice-president, J.D. Vance, in which he claimed Denmark had 'not done a good job by the people of Greenland', had already upped the ante. But allegations of spying have sparked widespread outrage among Greenlanders and Danes. 'Espionage against an ally and partner [is] completely unacceptable' thundered Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's prime minister. The Danish government swiftly summoned America's ambassador for a dressing-down. Lawmakers are considering closing the American consulate in Nuuk, the capital. Mr Trump's initial interest in Greenland, and the ensuing media frenzy, helped rekindle Greenland's independence debate. But his continued predations now seem to be having the opposite effect: Greenland and Denmark are closing ranks. Elections to Greenland's 31-member parliament in March handed the opposition Democrats, who have favoured closer ties with Denmark and a slower path to independence, a plurality. The new governing coalition stated it would 'tread carefully' with regards to independence (read: not any time soon). Relations between Greenland and Denmark are growing noticeably warmer. On a visit to Copenhagen in late April, Mr Nielsen agreed with Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, to band together amidst 'disrespectful' American threats. Mr Nielsen flew back to Greenland alongside the Danish king, Frederik X, for a visit designed to project solidarity. Donning a warm coat emblazoned with the Danish and Greenlandic flags, the king met hundreds of locals over coffee at Nuuk's cultural centre. The Danish government has agreed to boost its puny spending on Arctic defence. Pipaluk Lynge, the head of the Greenland parliament's foreign-affairs committee, welcomed co-operation with Denmark to head off American threats. 'We can't get through this without them.' Backers of independence sense a loss of momentum. Kuno Fencker, a fire-brand MP, bemoans the dwindling enthusiasm. 'Greenlanders have become very scared about an American invasion,' he sighs, blaming the Danish and international press for whipping up paranoia. The island's usually sedate politics have grown more venomous, too. Mr Fencker, who travelled to Mr Trump's inauguration in January, filed a defamation suit against Aaja Chemnitz, a fellow Greenlander in the Danish parliament, after she labelled his jaunt to Washington a threat to the national interest. For now, Mr Trump's repeated threats have papered over some Greenlanders' frustrations with the legacy of Danish colonial rule. But old wounds run deep. One neuralgic issue remains the 4,500 Inuit girls and women who were forcibly fitted with contraceptive coils by Danish doctors during the 1960s and 1970s. Many Greenlanders argue it constituted a form of genocide. The Danish government is yet to issue an official apology. Results of a joint investigation are due in September, which could yet engender another surge in support for independence. 'We lost a battle,' concedes Mr Fencker. 'But the war is not over.' Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Map Shows US Nuclear Base Hidden Under Greenland's Ice Since Cold War
NASA scientists have rediscovered an abandoned U.S. nuclear base buried beneath Greenland's ice sheet since the Cold War. During a research flight over the Arctic Circle last spring, the team detected a vast network of tunnels and structures hidden deep within the ice. The site was later identified as Camp Century, a military outpost built as part of Project Iceworm-a secret Pentagon project which aimed to build nuclear-missile launch sites beneath the ice that could target the Soviet Union, the Wall Street Journal reported. Scientists were testing a new radar system designed to scan deep beneath the ice, and what initially appeared to be remnants of a lost civilization turned out to be the Cold War-era military base. The rediscovery is a reminder of the extent of U.S. involvement and its presence in Greenland, the Journal reported. President Donald Trump is on a quest to acquire the vast, resource-rich island-a development which has faced significant criticism. He said in March he would seize the autonomous Danish territory "one way or another" and hasn't ruled out using military force to do so. Radar scans revealed an extensive network of ice-buried tunnels stretching approximately 9,800 feet-remnants of the once-secret U.S. military outpost known as Camp Century. Partially constructed in 1959 during the height of the Cold War, Camp Century was abandoned in 1967 as Greenland's shifting ice sheet was too unstable to support the envisioned underground network of ballistic missile launchers. Today, the base lies entombed beneath at least 100 feet of ice. Per a 1951 treaty with Denmark, the U.S. is able to build military installations in Greenland. At its peak during the Cold War, Washington had 17 military base across the island with about 10,000 troops. That presence has since shrunk to about 200 troops at just one U.S.-operated military outpost-the Pituffik Space Base. Trump has doubled down on his desire to seize the 57,000 resident island. The president has argued that Greenland's status poses a growing national security concern as Russia and China, who have ramped up their presence in the Arctic Circle, may attempt to access its mineral resources. Last week, Reuters reported, citing two officials familiar with the matter, that the U.S. will look at offering Greenland a special status that can loop the island into the U.S. sphere of influence. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders." Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede has echoed that sentiment, adding that use of the island's territory was "Greenland's business." "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," Egede told Reuters in December. NASA scientist Chad Greene, who was part of the team to make the discovery last spring, said: "It's like flying over another planet, and it's hard to imagine anyone or anything ever being able to survive there." Vice President JD Vance said during a visit to Greenland in March: "Our message to Denmark is very simple. You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland. "Denmark has not kept pace in devoting the resources necessary to keep this base, to keep our troops, and in my view to keep the people of Greenland safe from a lot of aggressive incursions from Russia, from China, and from other nations. "Why does Greenland matter so much? We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, Arctic naval routes, and in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure America is leading in the Arctic." It remains unclear if, how or when the Trump administration will move to acquire Greenland. Related Articles Trump Administration Eyes New Agreement With Greenland: What To KnowDenmark Warns Trump White House on Greenland SpyingDenmark Summons US Ambassador Over Greenland Spying ReportsDoes Donald Trump Run the World? Experts Weigh In 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
