Denmark spends $2 billion more on Arctic defence after Trump demanded Greenland

The Danish government has pledged $2 billion of extra spending to boost its military forces in the Arctic following comments by Donald Trump.

Trump has repeatedly offered to buy Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, first making the suggestion during his last term as US president.

This month he redoubled his efforts, posting on social media that ownership of the island is an ‘absolute necessity’ for US security and ‘freedom throughout the World [sic]’.

He refused to rule out using military force to gain control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, which he also wants, telling a reporter: ‘I’m not going to commit to that. It might be that you´ll have to do something.’

Greenland is currently seen as a security ‘black hole’, as Denmark has few capabilities on the island.

It reportedly includes four ageing inspection vessels, a Challenger surveillance plane and 12 dog sled patrols, all tasked with monitoring an area four times the size of France.

Trump’s suggestion has been met with firm rejection, with the Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers both affirming Greenland is ‘not for sale’.

The Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said ‘Greenland is for the Greenlandic people’.

‘It is a very proud people, a language and culture, it is a people that is their own’, she added.

Last year Denmark set aside $26 billion (£20 billion) in additional military spending over the next year.

Part of this is dedicated to its forces and capabilities in the Arctic.

The new funding would secure three new Arctic navy vessels, two more long-range surveillance drones and satellite surveillance systems, Denmark’s defence minister said.

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