US Vice President JD Vance speaks at the US military’s Pituffik space base in Greenland on March 28 – Photo: REUTERS
On March 29, Denmark announced that it did not like the “tone” of US Vice President JD Vance’s statement , when he said that Copenhagen did not take enough care of Greenland, during his visit to this resource-rich and strategically located island, according to AFP news agency.
“We are open to criticism, but frankly, we do not accept the tone in which these words were spoken,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wrote on social network X.
“This is not the way you talk to your close allies. I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies,” he stressed.
Mr. Vance made the remarkable statement during a visit to the Pituffik space base in northwest Greenland on March 28.
The US vice president harshly criticized Denmark, saying that the government “is not doing a good job of keeping Greenland safe”.
“You’re not investing enough in the people of Greenland , and you’re not investing enough in the security architecture of this beautiful land. That has to change,” Vance told reporters at Pituffik space base on Greenland’s northwest coast.
“As you all know, this is a big problem and it will get bigger in the coming decades,” Mr. Vance said, saying he was “deeply concerned about Arctic security.”
Greenland is the world’s largest island, rich in oil and minerals. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose high tariffs on Denmark if his proposal to buy the island is rejected.
However, Greenland authorities and Danish officials insist the vast territory – which has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years – is not for sale.
Mr Trump argues that the US needs the vast island for national and international security, and has refused to rule out the use of force to take possession of Greenland.
Asked about the possibility of using force, Mr Vance stressed that Washington did not think it “would be necessary”.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen hit back at Mr Vance.
“For many years we have stood side by side with the Americans in very difficult situations,” she said, referring to Denmark’s participation in combat alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She said Mr Vance’s comments about Denmark were “inaccurate”.
