Denmark is strengthening its defense of Greenland after Trump repeated his desire for the United States to establish control over the island.
The Danish government has announced an increase in defense spending on Greenland, which is part of it, after Donald Trump once again said he wanted to buy the world's largest island peace.
The BBC reports on this.
According to Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, the defense package is a “double-digit billion sum” in kroner, or at least $1.5 billion.
“We have underinvested in the Arctic for many years, and now we are planning to increase our presence,” he said.
The plan is to finance an increase in the Arctic Command staff in the capital Nuuk, as well as the modernization of one of Greenland's main civilian airports, where F-35 fighters are served.
The minister assured that the defense package was planned in advance, and “ironically” it coincided with Trump's call for US control of the island.
He also said Denmark was willing to “work with the US” to ensure Greenland's security.
The BBC notes that Denmark has been very slow to expand its military capabilities in Greenland, but if the country fails to protect the waters around the territory from Chinese and Russian encroachment, then US demands for more control are likely to increase.
“I think Trump is smart… he's forcing Denmark to prioritize its Arctic military capabilities by raising that voice without having to take over a very un-American welfare system,” said Army Major Steen Kjaergaard of the Danish Defence Academy, referring to Greenland's reliance on subsidies from Copenhagen.
Recall that US President-elect Donald Trump recently said that ownership and control of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for the United States.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede responded sharply to Trump's comments and stressed that they are not for sale.
Greenland is a self-governing region, but is still under the control of Denmark, which handles defense, security, and foreign policy.
In 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was seriously considering purchasing Greenland for its natural resources.
The Arctic is a critical area of national security as the U.S. tries to counter the growing influence of Russia and China in a region that is becoming increasingly open as climate change melts the ice and creates new routes in the North Arctic Ocean.
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