Notes on Trump and Denmark and Greenland:

In a Newsmax interview, Trump Jr. accused Denmark of mistreating Greenland. When he was asked about the idea of making Greenland an American territory, he bragged about his father’s prowess: “My father understands how to wield America’s economic might. He understands how to wield America’s military might. He knows how to do these things.”

As to his father’s talk of absorbing Canada and the Panama Canal, Trump Jr. gloated that Americans were “starting to again assert their dominance—not taking a back seat to, you know, little countries that don’t have, again, our economic might.”

All very upfront: we are bullies and we want your stuff and we’re going to take it.

Two days later, President Trump claimed—contrary to the available evidence—that “the people of Greenland would love to become a state of the United States of America.” And if Denmark “doesn’t like it,” he added ominously, “maybe things have to happen with respect to Denmark having to do with tariffs.”

You have to give me your stuff or I will hurt you and take your stuff.

[PM Mette] Frederiksen tried to appease Trump. In a phone call on January 15, she offered to work with him on American military concerns and on access to Greenland’s minerals. But she explained that the island wasn’t for sale, especially because its residents—who didn’t want to belong to Denmark or the United States, according to Greenland’s prime minister—should be allowed to choose their own future. Trump, unsatisfied, threatened her with tariffs.

Trump threatened an ally because she told him Greenlanders don’t want to be owned by the US or Denmark.

On January 25, when details of the phone call became public, reporters asked Trump about Frederiksen’s response. “She told you Greenland is not for sale,” said one reporter. “Will you take no for an answer on that?” Trump made it clear that he wouldn’t. “I think we’re going to have it,” he said of Greenland. As to Denmark, he warned: “It would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen.”

Very unfriendly. Yes. If I demanded Trump’s apartment overlooking Central Park and he refused to give it to me that would be a very unfriendly act. Friendly=giving people whatever they demand.

Trump’s threats prompted European leaders to speak up in Denmark’s defense. “The inviolability of borders is a fundamental principle of international law,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “Russia has broken this principle with its invasion of Ukraine,” Scholz noted. And in an obvious reference to Trump, he added: “This principle must apply to everyone.”

At that point, Vice President JD Vance stepped in. In a February 2 interview on Fox News, he scoffed that Trump “doesn’t care about what the Europeans scream at us. He cares about putting the interest of America’s citizens first.” 

And what Vance means by “putting the interest of America’s citizens first” is demanding territory that belongs to other people and promising war if the answer is no. Does that work for everyone? Should Denmark be putting the interest of Denmark’s citizens first by demanding Maine and Massachusetts and Manhattan?

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