1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. I'm Stephen Carroll and 2 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: vis is Here's why, where we take one news story 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: and explain it in just a few minutes with our 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,080 Speaker 1: experts here at Bloomberg. 5 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 2: We need Greenland from a national security to situation. It's 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: so strategic. Right now Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese. 7 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 3: Ships all over the place. 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: We need Greenland from the same point of national security, 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 2: and Denmark is not going to be able to do it. 10 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: I can tell you. 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: It's not the first time he said it, but this 12 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: was Donald Trump speaking just after he'd sent American forces 13 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It's a ramping up 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: of the US president's rhetoric, and Denmark's Prime minister has 15 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: taken notice for the first. 16 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 4: Firstly, I believe that the US President should be taken 17 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 4: seriously when he says that he wants Greenland. But I 18 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 4: also want to make it clear that if the United 19 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 4: States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops, 20 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 4: that is, including on NATO and thus the security that 21 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 4: has been provided since the end of the Second World War. 22 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: It's metaphor X and was speaking to Danish channel TV. 23 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: Two other European countries have rushed to support Denmark's position 24 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: and reiterate NATO's principle of collective defense. So here's why 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: Europe is taking Trump's Greenland claim seriously. Our Copenhagen reporter 26 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Sanavas joins me nowt for more sana. First of all, 27 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: can you remind us of Greenland's status and its relationship 28 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: with Denmark. 29 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 3: Greenland today is a semi autonomous part of the Danish Kingdom. 30 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 3: It used to be a colony for more than two 31 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 3: hundred years, and then in the nineteen fifties it was 32 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 3: redefined as a district of Denmark. Greenlanders were given Danish passports, 33 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 3: and then over the decades they've gained greater autonomy. Today 34 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 3: they rule over most internal affairs, but Denmark still oversees 35 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: some areas like police and monetary policy and also external 36 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 3: affairs so security and defense. Greenland also relies on financial 37 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 3: support from Denmark. They get an annual grant, and it's 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 3: why it's so difficult for Greenland to gain independence from Denmark, 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 3: even if most Greenlanders would actually like that to happen. 40 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: So why does Donald Trump want Greenland? 41 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 3: Trump? He says it's all about US and national security. 42 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 3: Greenland sits right between the North Atlantic and the Arctic. Essentially, 43 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 3: it's on the frontline between the US and Russia. And 44 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,679 Speaker 3: the US already operates a military base in northern Greenland. 45 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 3: It has a radar system that uses to detect missile 46 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 3: launches and monitor space, and it is central to American defense. 47 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 3: And actually, during the Cold War it had dozens of 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 3: military installations across the island. It has since scaled back. 49 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 3: What's changing now is climate change. I mean, the Arctic 50 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 3: ice is melting, making it easier for potentially hostile ships 51 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: and submarines to move through the region. And at the 52 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 3: same time we're seeing that Russia and China they're expanding 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: their Arctic presence. And Donald Trump he really sees Greenland 54 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 3: as a potential week spot in his nation's defense. 55 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: Now, we heard a little bit from the Danish Prime 56 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: minister there, but this is, as I say, something that's 57 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: been going on for a while. Donald Trump has talked 58 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: about his ambitions for Greenland. How has Denmark been responding 59 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: to this and how has that response changed since the 60 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: Venezuela raid. 61 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 3: As you say, Trump has repeated this message many times 62 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 3: since he took office a year ago. 63 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: The fact that. 64 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 3: He's renewed his campaign ran after the raid and Venezuela 65 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 3: has really alarmed both Danish and Greenlandic officials. They're concerned 66 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 3: about the US's military ambitions and the fact that Trump 67 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 3: is willing to break international law to achieve his aims. 68 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 3: To Danish prime ministers we heard previously said it very 69 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: clearly that we should take Trump seriously. Denmark has drawn 70 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 3: a clear red line. They've told Trump to stop frending 71 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 3: Greenland and set it's up to Greenland to define its 72 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 3: own future. Denmark does agree with Trump and that Greenland 73 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 3: is becoming a more important territory for NATO's defense, but 74 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 3: they just don't believe that the US needs control of 75 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 3: Greenland to achieve its aim. Greenland is protected by NATO's 76 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 3: Collective Security Agreement, and it's also under other existing treaties. 77 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 3: The US is allowed to set up as many military 78 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 3: bases as it would like. 79 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: What have we heard from Greenland's leaders about all of this. 80 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 3: Greenland's Prime Minister Yenzviig Nilssen, he has urged his people 81 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 3: to not panic. He's called Trump's comments disrespectful, unacceptable and 82 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,119 Speaker 3: He's clearly rejected the notion that Greenland should be part 83 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 3: of the US, and a very large majority of Greenland 84 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 3: is they agree with him. But he also keeps repeating 85 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 3: that Greenland is open to dialogue, they're open to business. 86 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 3: Clearly he's treading carefully. Greenland's economy is under strain and 87 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 3: they would like to trade more with the US, and 88 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 3: Nilsen als is his scope for more US investment in Greenland. Ironically, 89 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 3: Trump's comments they've almost made him more difficult for this 90 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 3: to happen, because they've just made Greenland there's more afraid. 91 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: How much support does Denmark and Greenland have from other 92 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: European countries? Will they be willing to stand up to 93 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: Trump on this issue? 94 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 3: European leaders they've widely pledged support for Greenland and denmarkt 95 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 3: in this case, and they warned Trump that he needs 96 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 3: to respect the borders of the Danish Kingdom. The big question, 97 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 3: of course, is will Denmark have the support beyond words 98 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 3: if things actually get serious, if Trump actually decides to 99 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 3: use force against Greenland. If that were to happen, Denmark 100 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 3: would have to turn to its EU partners and essentially 101 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 3: ask them to choose between defending Greenland and keeping good 102 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 3: relations with Washington. So the problem is that EU countries 103 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 3: don't really have the military power to take on the US, 104 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 3: and they've been close allies for decades, and they're really 105 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 3: dealing with other major security threats like Russia's war in Ukraine. 106 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 3: So for now Europe is clearly on the side of 107 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 3: Greenland and Denmark. But I mean, Trump's next step could 108 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 3: really test the u's unity. 109 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: Is there a way that Donald Trump could get what 110 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: he wants when it comes to Greenland? 111 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: I mean, with Trump, you can never say never, right, 112 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 3: But at this stage, experts that we speak to they 113 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 3: assess that Trump getting direct control of Greenland that is 114 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 3: very unlikely, especially given the resistance there is locally on 115 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: the island, but also the risk of essentially breaking up 116 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 3: the NATO alliance. And the big question, of course is 117 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: what does Trump really want? And people we speak to say, 118 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 3: maybe Trump is maybe he's just using this as a 119 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 3: strategy to get something else. Maybe he wants to boost 120 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,679 Speaker 3: US military presence in Greenland, or get NATO or Denmark 121 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 3: to invest more there, or maybe he wants something else. 122 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 3: I mean, we haven't had the chance to talk about 123 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 3: Greenland's critical minerals. But that's what he wants, then maybe 124 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 3: scope for more partnerships with Greenland. So I don't know. 125 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 3: It could be the Trump gets something from all this 126 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 3: without having to ultimately own Greenland or breach international laws 127 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 3: by using force to get it. 128 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: Okay, our Copenhagen reporter Sanovas, thank you for more explanations 129 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: like this from our team of three thousands journalists and 130 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: analysts around the world. Go to Bloomberg dot com slash explainers. 131 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: I'm Stephen Carroll. This is here's why. I'll be back 132 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: next week with more. Thanks for listening.