Updated 10 January 2026 at 16:12 IST
'If Loyal Denmark Can Be Targeted, Then No One is Safe': Danish MP Flags Concern Over US Threat to Allies
Danish Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov has labeled the United States, not China, as the primary threat to Denmark’s sovereignty. His comments come in response to aggressive rhetoric regarding Greenland, a move Jarlov described as "shocking and unprecedented" for a relationship between loyal allies.
Copenhagen, Denmark: In a sharp critique of US diplomatic pressure, Danish Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov has labeled the United States, not China, as the primary threat to Denmark’s sovereignty.
His comments come in response to aggressive rhetoric regarding Greenland, a move Jarlov described as "shocking and unprecedented" for a relationship between loyal allies.
"It is deeply troubling, and unacceptable, that we are being threatened with military force by the United States... It is shocking and unprecedented that you would threaten allies, countries that have done nothing against you except remain loyal. This is worrying for other countries as well, because if Denmark can be the target of such aggression, then no one is safe... In the case of Greenland, however, there is absolutely no excuse: no threat, no hostility," he said.
A few days ago, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said an American takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of the NATO military alliance. Her comments came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed call for the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island to come under U.S. control in the aftermath of the weekend military operation in Venezuela.
The geopolitical relationship between Greenland, Denmark, and the United States is anchored by a 1951 Cold War treaty that grants the U.S. military remarkably broad authority. Despite this, the local population remains firmly opposed to a shift in sovereignty.
The 1951 Defense Agreement
Signed between the U.S. and Denmark, this "little-known" pact provides the American military with extensive rights over Greenlandic territory. While the U.S. currently maintains only one remote base, the agreement legally permits them to:
-Build, maintain, and operate military bases anywhere on the island.
-House personnel and establish permanent facilities.
-Manage all air, sea, and land movements, including takeoffs, landings, and anchorages.
While the U.S. technically holds the keys to Greenland’s military landscape through a decades-old treaty, the island's path toward independence is driven by a population that overwhelmingly rejects American acquisition.
Published By : Ankita Paul
Published On: 10 January 2026 at 16:12 IST