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Germany sent ships to Greenland? Truth behind viral claim as Trump eyes Denmark island
President Donald Trump told reporters that the US ‘would do something on Greenland whether they like it or not’, amid rising geopolitical tensions.
A claim that Germany is deploying two military vessels to Greenland has been circulated widely on social media amid rising geopolitical tensions. To be sure, these claims have been made from unverified accounts. They come at a time when President Donald Trump is mulling action in Greenland.
Trump told reporters at the White House “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not. Because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor.”
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His remarks raised alarms for NATO ally Denmark, the country of which Greenland is a part of. Politicians on the island also made it clear they did not ‘want to be Americans’. However, with tensions high, a lot of attention has gone to the post about Germany stepping into the situation.
Fact-check: Germany sending ships to Greenland?
The claim that has been made is that one of the ships has an attack jet squadron, while the other has helicopters. As per the claim, both the deployed vessels have anti-ship missile systems.
However, this claim is false as Germany does not have any vessel with an attack jet squadron. Readers on X added a community note to the post, fact checking it.
Moreover, there has been no official communication from German or Denmark authorities about any vessel being dispatched.
While Germany may not have sent vessels to Greenland yet, Danes have called for Euro troops to deploy to Greenland to try and deter Trump. Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov noted that Copenhagen should welcome allied troops “so that the price of a military invasion for the Americans would be extremely high”, as per The US Sun.
Left-wing leader Pelle Dragsted, meanwhile, said, “We must make it clear that it would be an armed conflict.”
