Advancing Apprehensions: DanishPerspective on the US Under Trump
Approximately four out of every ten Danes perceive the United States as a potential threat.
New polls reveal a shifting stance towards the United States among Danes, with an increasing number viewing the nation as a potential danger. This shift can be largely attributed to President Trump's contentious policies and rhetoric, according to political science professor Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen of the University of Copenhagen.
In a survey conducted by Verian for conservative-leaning newspaper Berlingske, 40% of respondents categorized the US as either a significant or direct threat to Denmark. When questioned whether they consider the US an ally or a threat, 32% acknowledged it as a "significant threat," while 9% viewed it as a "threat."
This changing perspective towards the US is significant, says Rasmussen, with Trump being the prime mover behind the erosion of trust among Danes. He believes that the Danish public, known for their pragmatism and careful consideration, can resonate with language they perceive as echoing the Kremlin's.
The source of this apprehension stems from various geopolitical tensions:
- Greenland's Autonomy: Trump's persistent interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Danish kingdom, has been perceived as a direct challenge to Danish sovereignty. Greenlanders, who have struggled with centuries of colonial rule, face renewed anxieties about external control.
- Security Concerns: The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA)—granting the US unmitigated access to Danish military bases—has sparked suspicion. Many Danes fear the US could exploit this access to assert control over Greenland indirectly, exacerbating existing concerns.
- Historical-Colonial Resonances: Trump's approach has been likened to 19th-century colonialism, such as Denmark's sale of the Virgin Islands to the US. This comparison exacerbates tensions over shared colonial history, leading to additional apprehensions.
- NATO Uncertainties: Trump's transactional view of alliances, combined with threats over defense spending, raises questions about US reliability within the NATO partnership. This undermines decades of trust in the transatlantic relationship.
These factors have precipitated a growing belief among Danes that the US, under Trump, poses both a territorial and diplomatic threat to the country's sovereignty. The emerging consensus contrasts sharply with traditional Danish admiration for the US.
- The interest shown by President Trump in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Danish kingdom, is perceived as a significant threat and a direct challenge to Danish sovereignty, according to political science professor Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen.
- The Defense Cooperation Agreement, which grants the US unmitigated access to Danish military bases, has led to increased mistrust and suspicion among Danes, who fear the potential exploitation of this access to assert control over Greenland.
- Trump's approach has been compared to 19th-century colonialism, such as Denmark's sale of the Virgin Islands to the US, exacerbating tensions over shared colonial history and contributing to additional apprehensions among the Danish public.
- The transactional view of alliances held by President Trump, combined with threats over defense spending, raises uncertainties about the reliability of the US within the NATO partnership, undermining decades of trust in the transatlantic relationship.
- The shift in Danish public opinion towards the US, with an increasing number viewing the nation as a potential threat, can be largely attributed to President Trump's contentious policies and rhetoric, as reported in general-news and political outlets.
