Today’s big topic: Anne Applebaum suspects that the real driving force is Trump’s fondness for dramatic operations
Anne Applebaum is an award-winning historian and journalist with international politics as her central field of work
What’s happening?
If you ask the award-winning historian and author Anne Applebaum, there is still a long leap from Donald Trump’s belligerent rhetoric to an American military action against Greenland. In an interview with Politiken, she points out the vast difference between the operation in Venezuela and the question of American ownership of Greenland.
»In Venezuela, we effectively arrested the head of state and left the rest of the regime in place – at least temporarily. If Greenland were to become part of the United States, if it were to become an American colony, that would require a completely different type of operation. There would have to be an occupation force. You would have to force Greenlanders to become Americans – or American subjects«, says Applebaum.
Why it matters!
The American president Donald Trump continues to reiterate his desire to take control of Greenland, most recently in an interview with The New York Times, where he stated that ownership of Greenland is the key to success. This is causing significant concerns in Greenland, Denmark, and Europe.
Anne Applebaum believes that Donald Trump’s desire to take control of Greenland is driven by his fondness for dramatic operations: »The idea of dominating neighboring countries and dramatically demonstrating American power is appealing«.
Still curious? Read the full interview here.
In other news
– Correspondent: Interview with Trump is frightening
»What makes the interview so frightening is that if this is about his grandiose dreams, there’s not much we can do«.
This is the immediate reaction of Politiken’s U.S. correspondent Jacob Fuglsang to an interview with the American president in The New York Times. Here, Trump talks about Greenland, explaining that there is no way around ownership, as it is the key to success for him. The president also blurts out that he doesn’t need international law. The only thing that can limit him is his »own mind« and »own morals«.
– The government will allocate 4.5 billion kroner for a food check
As the Prime Minister said in her New Year’s speech, the government will help the groups hardest hit by rising food prices. These groups may include pensioners, the unemployed, and families with children. On Thursday, negotiations began with the parties in the Folketing, which will last about a week. Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen said ahead of the negotiations to TV 2 News:
»It’s about the fact that many Danes are in a difficult situation right now. We want to give them a helping hand, which they need«.
– Risk of up to 20 degrees of frost at night this weekend
Saturday could see temperatures drop to between four and eight degrees below freezing. In some parts of Jutland, the temperature could plummet to minus 10 degrees. Before a sunny end to the weekend on Sunday, a cold night with frost is expected, which could push temperatures down to minus 15 degrees, and locally, perhaps even minus 20.
»Saturday starts off a bit cloudy – especially over the southwestern part of the country, but gradually it will clear up from the northeast. So there will be quite a bit of sun«, says Mille Jensen from The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) to news agency Ritzau.
This weekends itinerary
Where to eat?
Can the city's most sought-after Italian right now save the cursed local spot?
Dreaming of escaping to Southern Europe? Then there’s good news. When you step into the newly opened restaurant Bottega di Graziano on Værnedamsvej, it feels like being in Italy, according to food critic David Dyrholm.
»It truly felt like stepping into a little Italian joint. There were hams hanging from the ceiling, swing music playing, a flat-screen TV showing soccer in the corner, homemade limoncello on the shelves by the entrance. The table wobbled a bit, very Italian indeed«, writes Dyrholm.
Read his full review here.
Where to drink?
It started on Amager, and now Frederiksberg also has a version of the coffee bar that prides itself on budget-friendly coffee.
In the winter cold, there is nothing better than a warm cup of coffee, and fortunately, Politiken’s reviewer Nasra Jama has a great suggestion for where you can get a good coffee fix this weekend. The newly opened café Another Coffee in Frederiksberg serves coffee at reasonable prices.
»Another Coffee is a solid coffee spot that you want to return to. The coffee is good, the prices are unusually low, and the expression is consistent and well-functioning. The ambition is clear, and when they stick to the simple, like with the BMO (bun with cheese, ed.), they hit the mark«.
Read her full review here.
This newsletter features stories originally published in Danish. AI was used to shorten and translate the articles into English, after which a member of the editorial staff reviewed and refined the content.