Trump is repeating false or exaggerated claims about Greenland as he seeks US ownership

President Trump has made a series of claims about Greenland in recent weeks, insists that the United States needs to control the island to protect the American people – the opinion of Greenlandic officials and NATO allies. refuse.

At the meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Mr. Trump called acquiring Greenland is a “fundamental national security interest of the United States of America,” which reiterates its interest in acquiring a sovereign territory from Denmark.

Later on Wednesday, following a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the president appeared to hold his tonguesaying that he and Rutte had reached a “framework for a future agreement” regarding Greenland. The president did not provide details about the alleged agreement.

As he wants to justify his efforts, Mr. Trump has said in interviews and discussions with world leaders that Denmark has no legal claim to Greenland. He has also exaggerated threats from China and Russia, and falsely suggested that Denmark does not offer any defense to the island.

Here’s a closer look at a few of those claims.

Trump’s claim that Denmark has no legal right to Greenland

Mr. Trump wrote in a text exchange with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Jan. 19: “Denmark can’t protect that land from Russia or China, and why is it ‘patented’ anyway? There are no written documents, only that a boat got there hundreds of years ago, but there were boats getting there, too.”

Details: In an exchange of text with Støre, Mr. Trump questioned Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, writing that “there are no written documents” establishing ownership.

The claim is false.

There are written treaties and court decisions establishing Denmark’s claim to Greenland, including a 1916 US secretary of state declaration that clearly recognized Denmark’s control over the area. An international court also ruled in 1933 that Denmark held legal sovereignty over the entire island.

Danish explorers and settlers began colonizing Greenland in the early 1700s, at a time when the US was still a British colony.

“Danish expeditions reached and settled in Greenland centuries ago,” Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, told CBS News in an email. “Since then, Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland has been recognized around the world, including the US, just as similar claims are recognized by many other nations around the world.”

Trump’s claim that Russian and Chinese ships are circling Greenland

Trump said in a press gaggle on Jan. 4: “Right now, Greenland is covered by Russian and Chinese ships everywhere.” (Press the gaggleJanuary 4)

Mr. Trump said on Jan. 9 press conference: “We need that because if you look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers. There are Chinese destroyers and bigger ones. There are Russian submarines everywhere. We’re not going to have Russia or China taking Greenland, and that’s what they’re going to do if we don’t.”

Details: Trump has also repeatedly said that a number of Russian and Chinese ships are currently operating near Greenland.

There is no evidence to support that claim.

Greenland’s business minister Naaja Nathanielsen said she was “not aware” of any Russian and Chinese ships or submarines around Greenland when asked about Mr Trump’s comments earlier this month.

Public vessel tracking data from MarineTraffic does not show any Russian or Chinese-flagged commercial vessels around Greenland, with most traffic including fishing boats. Although the ships could jam their transponders or attack their locations, experts say there is no indication that there is a large number of warships described by Mr.

“President Trump’s claim of Russian and Chinese ships everywhere is untenable,” Romain Chuffart, executive director of the Arctic Institute, a nonprofit think tank, told CBS News in an email.

Some experts have noted that Russia’s military activity in the Arctic is concentrated near Norway, while China’s Arctic involvement is focused on trade with Russia and exercises near Alaska.

Trump’s claim that Denmark’s defenses in Greenland consist of “two dog sleds”

Said Mr. Trump journalists on Jan. 11: “And Greenland basically, their defense is two dog sleds. Do you know that? You know what their defense is? Two dog sleds.”

Details: Jokingly or not, that’s wrong. While the Danish special forces are conducting the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol – a special force that patrols remote, snowy areas using sled dogs – that is just one part of the military’s presence.

Denmark operates patrol ships in the Arctic, patrol aircraft, and maintains a military base in Nuuk with about 150 personnel, according to the Danish Defense Ministry.

Danish officials have also committed an estimated $6.5 billion to develop military capabilities in Greenland over the next decade, Chuffart said.

As for the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, the 12-person team uses dog sleds because “it’s the most adequate form of transportation in the region,” according to Chuffart.

The US already operates an air base in Greenland and has an option to expand its presence under a 1951 treaty with Denmark. Danish officials have said they would welcome greater US security cooperation – but insisted Greenland is not for sale.