PITUFFIK, GREENLAND – MARCH 28: United States Vice President JD Vance talks on the United States armed pressure’s Pituffik Space Base on March 28, 2025 in Pituffik,Greenland The plan for the see was downsized after a put together for an additional complete journey attracted objection from authorities in Greenland and Denmark, which manages worldwide and safety plan of the semiautonomous space. (Photo by Jim Watson – Pool/ Getty Images)
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Vice President JD Vance on Friday charged Denmark of underinvesting within the safety type of Greenland as he asserted varied different European allies had truly fallen brief to keep up pace with safety prices.
Trump has truly persistently revealed his want to get management of the self-governing Danish space, explaining the chance as an “absolute necessity” for features linked to nationwide safety.
“Denmark hasn’t done a good job at keeping Greenland safe,” Vance knowledgeable servicemembers on the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Friday.
“We know that too often our allies in Europe have not kept pace, they haven’t kept pace with military spending and 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 very aggressive incursions from Russia, China and other nations with interest in this area,” Vance knowledgeable press reporters.
The vice head of state acknowledged the mineral-rich island was essential since if a projectile was discharged from an adversary nation or an adversary submarine proper into the United States, it might actually be people on the base that would definitely inform the united state
United States Vice President JD Vance (C) presents with Second Lady Usha Vance (second L), National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (third L), his partner, earlier homeland safety advisor, Julia Nesheiwat (L) and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (R) as they discover the United States armed pressure’s Pituffik Space Base on March 28, 2025 in Pituffik,Greenland
Jim Watson|Getty Images
“We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways and Arctic naval routes and indeed in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic because we know that if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap,” he acknowledged.
Following Vance’s see, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen acknowledged his nation was “open to criticism” but that they didn’t “appreciate the tone in which it’s being delivered.”
“This is not how you speak to your close allies,” he acknowledged in a video message shared on the social networks system X.
“We respect that the United States needs a greater military presence in Greenland, as Vice President Vance mentioned this evening. We, Denmark and Greenland, are very much open to discussing this with you,” Rasmussen acknowledged.
‘Far brought’ unsupported claims
Vance’s see comes as beforehand at the moment Trump reiterated his want to take management of Greenland for nationwide and worldwide safety features, claiming the united state would definitely “go as far as we have to go.”
“We need Greenland and the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark,” he acknowledged, describing the island which is a semi-autonomous space of Denmark.
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen condemned the remarks from Trump, claiming the “far-fetched” unsupported claims was a extra rise from the united state
Both the federal governments of Greenland and Denmark have truly persistently articulated resistance to Trump’s methods, with Mute Egede, the outbound head of state of Greenland, beforehand this month claiming: “Don’t keep treating us with disrespect. Enough is enough.”
Elsewhere, Russian President Vladimir Putin at the moment likewise suggested that it might actually be a “profound mistake” to reject Trump’s initiative “as some preposterous talk by the new U.S. administration.”
Putin flagged that the united state had truly previously provided to buy Greenland and had methods to handle the realm “as far back as the 1860s.”
“In short, the United States has serious plans regarding Greenland. These plans have long historical roots, as I have just mentioned, and it is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic,” Putin acknowledged.
The UNITED STATE’ first put together for a delegation of authorities to see the island was met uncooked criticism from leaders in Denmark and Greenland as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen asserted the methods have been producing “unacceptable pressure.”
The journey has truly contemplating that been lowered to a one-day event and has truly been restricted to a flick through of the united state Pituffik Space Base on the island, which lies removed from the realm’s cities.
Denmark confirmed as much as welcome the modifications, with the nation’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen recommending they signified a de-escalation.
–‘s Sam Meredith added to this file.
