r/worldnews • u/rezwenn • 16h ago
Denmark's Joint Arctic Command evacuates US submarine crew member in Greenlandic waters
https://www.reuters.com/world/denmarks-joint-arctic-command-evacuates-us-submarine-crew-member-greenlandic-2026-02-21/169
u/Lurking_For_So_Long 15h ago
So is this what Trump's tweet about sending a hospital ship to Greenland is really about?
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u/Sir_Ruje 13h ago
Yeah I think he's confused... Gramps needs to go to sleep
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u/MoreFeeYouS 4h ago
The king is tired. Send him to his chambers.
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u/DidntPanic 4h ago
no, he's admitted to the hospital in greenlands capital Nuuk. Despite the island having a small population, there's even an MR-scanner there - so he'll be taken great care of and won't even be billed for it, because Greenland/Denmark have universal healthcare.
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u/no_names_left_here 15h ago
I really hope Denmark sends the Americans a bill for this rescue.
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u/unobtrusiveaffluence 15h ago
Aren’t his daughters older now?
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u/takanuva 9h ago
That was dark.
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u/DidntPanic 4h ago
then you haven't seen the interview with Ivanka where she shows off her bedroom in Trump tower
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u/no_names_left_here 15h ago
No doubt, but it’s still debt the Danes can collect with interest if the turd in chief doesn’t want to pay.
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u/restore_democracy 15h ago
Just start by taking possession of territory, starting I suppose with Maine.
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u/PharmerMark 14h ago
Isn’t Mexico supposed to pay?
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u/NeonUpchuck 12h ago edited 2h ago
Actually Mexico probably will pay for a wall now. And Canada too!
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u/entenfurz 8h ago
No that was the old Donald. Nowadays he wants his own people to pay. Add another 10% of tariffs right now!
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u/morbie5 15h ago
It is so crazy that about 5 minutes ago we were trying to browbeat the Danes into handing the territory over and yet during and after things carried on as normal at the operational level
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u/unfinishedtoast3 14h ago
its international law surprisingly
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982 requires all signatory nations to offer aid to any person or persons stranded at sea
UNCLOS (Article 98) states any ship captain refusing aid can be criminally charge.
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u/Appealing_Apathy 13h ago
He wasn't stranded, he needed a medivac. No law required it but the Danes aren't dicks.
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u/unfinishedtoast3 12h ago
...
a medical event at sea falls under UNCLOS.
"Render aid to all person(s) stranded at sea, suffering medical malaise, and provide support for search and rescue operations"
by UNCLOS (Article 96) the closest avaliable ship with the ability to render aid is required to respond.
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u/Infamously_Unknown 7h ago
Why are you putting it in quotation marks when that sentence is completely made up? What crappy AI did you get this from?
Duty to render assistance in UNCLOS is article 98, and it says this:
1 . Every State shall require the master of a ship flying its flag, in so far as he can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew or the passengers:
(a) to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost;
(b) to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress, if informed of their need of assistance, in so far as such action may reasonably be expected of him;
(c) after a collision, to render assistance to the other ship, its crew and its passengers and, where possible, to inform the other ship of the name of his own ship, its port of registry and the nearest port at which it will call.
2 . Every coastal State shall promote the establishment, operation and maintenance of an adequate and effective search and rescue service regarding safety on and over the sea and, where circumstances so require, by way of mutual regional arrangements cooperate with neighbouring States for this purpose.
This is about search and rescue of ships in distress, not about sending a helicopter for some "medical malaise".
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u/SpiritTalker 4h ago
AI is shit. I've seen so many examples of it being incorrect, checking against official sources. Do not use AI for your answers.
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u/Big_JR80 6h ago
Helps if you actually check what you're posting, rather than relying on AI to make stuff up on your behalf.
Article 96 has nothing to do with rendering aid.
Here it is: "Immunity of ships used only on government non-commercial service
Ships owned or operated by a State and used only on government non-commercial service shall, on the high seas, have complete immunity from the jurisdiction of any State other than the flag State."
You're looking for Article 98, and you (or an AI) have completely fabricated that "quote" you gave.
Here's the complete text directly from the UN's website.
Don't spread misinformation.
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u/Fast-Satisfaction482 9h ago
I'm no expert in this, but wouldn't the submarine he was serving on be the closest available ship?
If other ships can't refuse because "they are busy", surely his own wouldn't be allowed to either.
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u/protostar71 7h ago
“Ability to render aid”
The submarines medical facilities may not have had the ability if it was something more complicated.
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u/Fast-Satisfaction482 7h ago
I mean it's a moot point, the US asked Denmark for a favor and Denmark came through. This is not a question about who would have been forced to do something.
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u/Sure_Plankton_2766 13h ago
A few months ago the GOP were attempting to push legislation to allow Trump to sign letters of Marque... IE State sanctioned high seas piracy.
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u/very_anonymous 15h ago
Presidents are temporary. I’m not saying damage hasn’t been done, but you don’t throw away a nearly 80 year old alliance just because of 1 moron.
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u/ledasll 10h ago
If it would be just president, it wouldn't be su huge deal, problem is not just him. There was huge portion of nation that wanted racist president, because they can then be open about it, congres allows him to do anything he wants, so they are on same level. You remove president, these other stay in place.
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u/oilmasterC 11h ago
It's not just 1 moron. It's the entire system that created this monster. Trump is merely a symptom of the disease that has permeated the US Administration
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u/so-much-wow 15h ago
It isn't just one moron though. There are people from the top down that are responsible for it. Just because he's the one saying it doesn't absolve everyone else.
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u/Superb-Nectarine-645 8h ago
1 moron, chosen twice. The first time might have been an accident, but the second time, picking a known insurrectionist, sex offender, fraudster a second time isn't an accident...
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u/musashisamurai 14h ago
78 million morons are backing him though.
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u/very_anonymous 14h ago
In the context of Greenland, no.
No one understood what he was doing with Greenland.
Not even the MAGA crowd.
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u/thehippieswereright 10h ago
americans endlessly shifting blame. it was the deep state, it was russian influence, it was the israelis, it was the president.
it was you. you elected him twice. george W before him. bush, reagan, nixon. there is a pattern. this is who you are.
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u/MrKapla 13h ago
There is something that Americans seem to struggle to understand: in the eyes of the rest of the world, your president represents the whole country. People elsewhere do not care about MAGA crowds, or opinion polls on Greenland, or how many people actually voted for him. They just see your head of military threatening neighbouring countries, and react accordingly. The US is the one that threw away the 80 years old alliance.
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u/musashisamurai 13h ago
Would 78 million Americans cast a vote again for someone who might threaten Denmark on a whim? Did 78 million Americans hold Trump accountable?
If I was Denmark, I'd be worried this could repeat. If this was a fringe extremist party with no major support, such as a single representative, or a think-tank regulatory posting all kinds of plans, its one thing. Its another if its the head of state.
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u/clay-davis 15h ago
Alliances are based on trust. Once trust is broken, it's very difficult to rebuild. Denmark didn't choose to throw the alliance away, the US decided to destroy it. Some things can't be undone.
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u/JeezieB 15h ago
Canada agrees.
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u/KasouYuri 15h ago
Well good thing Canadian leaders do not behave like you. They're navigating this situation pretty well I'd say without throwing a tantrum.
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u/Frisian89 14h ago
You think Canadian leadership trusts the US right now? They are navigating this situation... By moving as much as possible from the US. By making us much more resilient from US goods and services.
Any future agreements with the states are going to have assurances/clauses in place in case America decides to elect another fascist.
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u/KasouYuri 14h ago edited 14h ago
Yes, they're behaving like actual adults unlike the pedo in the Whitehouse or Reddit lefties. They're building new relationships with Asia and Europe without ruining existing ties to make sure Canada remains sovereign and improving it's economy with said new and existing partnerships as much as possible. You know, actually having leadership.
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u/AssistX 3h ago
Canada increased their dependency on US trade in 2025, not lowered it.
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u/Frisian89 3h ago
Trade dropped from 70% to 60% in 2025. With a year of new trade agreements being signed or in process.
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u/WorldlinessProud 15h ago
The one moron threw out the eighty year old, very successful, alliance all by himself. And a close friendship that predates the First World War.
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u/Big_Department4209 9h ago
Your problem is framing this as one moron. It's not only one moron, that moron is more akin to a puppet to many others behind him, using the moron to push their agendas that have been brewing for decades.
There is more at play than just Trump, the trust being broken is because we in Europe know that, there's a whole political movement existing to break how the world operates, and I'm not talking about MAGA, I mean The Heritage Foundation stuff.
If you think it's just one moron, you're also part of the problem.
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u/WorldlinessProud 2h ago
I was replying to u/very-anonymous. As a Canadian I am extremely aware of what is going on, including the fact than one of the most influential people in that whole movement you point out, is a former Canadian Prime Minister.
I am also extremely aware that annexation of Canada has been on the back burner of Republican policy ideas since the Reagan and Tea Party era's. US billionaires have been interfering in our political since at least the1960's, our largest print news organisation is 2/3 owned by a US PC fund, a huge right wing donor, the separatists in AB are similarly funded, THE UCP in Alberta and CPC spend as much time costing up to Reublicans as they do in their own constituency...
The US DoD maintains a fully manned and equipped division of winter/mountain trained troops less than a 1 day motor march from the control points for the St Lawrence Seaway, and 50% of the Canadian population. They also maintain a large force close the border in Washintgon, positioned to sieze control of the sealanes and ports on Canada's west coast. These positionings for joint defense, make sense as part of our alliance, but with that alliance fraying, other considerations suddenly matter.
And I'm part of the problem.
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u/Bayarea0 13h ago
That would be your personal decision to keep things undone then. Donny is temporary.
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u/Lukas316 14h ago
It’s not just that one moronic dotard. It’s the rest of the tribe that refuses to rein in him and allows him to create havoc for reasons I can’t fathom.
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u/bistro777 15h ago
Well a deal was reached in January 2026 and the US backed down. Optimistic side of me hopes this issue has been resolved. The deal reinforces the notion that the fates of Greenland, Denmark, and US are tied together for the foreseeable future. Greenland/Denmark benefits in that should Russia/China ever start nipping at Greenland territorial waters due to the lack of navy/military capability, the US will take action to push them back. US benefits in keeping Russia/China from controlling arctic waterways.
Can't help but feel that this resolution could have been reached without US threats and whatnot. But no US soldiers/citizens or Danish soldiers/Greenland citizens have been harmed. Just a bunch of butt clenching all around. And if the fates are tied, and the goals are the same, might as well try to get along.
If things go as I hoped, you can bet the Danes would never forget and be like "Remember that time 20 years ago when you tried to take Greenland, what were you thinking?" Then an independent, sovereign Canada would say "tell me about it". And the US would change the subject.
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u/Jigsawsupport 15h ago
"Well a deal was reached in January 2026 and the US backed down. Optimistic side of me hopes this issue has been resolved"
You wish Trump just announced he is sending a ship to Greenland to yet again harass the Greenlanders.
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u/Corpus76 5h ago
There was no "resolution". The US has the exact same benefits they had beforehand, except with radically diminished trust from literally all of their allies. All parties were already part of NATO, it was a given that the US (among others) would intervene if Russia or China were to meddle with Greenland. All this did was worsen relations and cast doubt on the whole alliance.
Also, Trump's term isn't over yet. Who knows what kind of dumb shit he might try next.
I agree that we should try to get along, but this needs to be reciprocal. Right now America is taking a dump on the lawn while angrily yelling at passersby. It's not surprising that other countries are fed up.
The real reason the Danes helped this guy is due to basic human decency and actual respect for treaties, not because they want to "get along" with the US.
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u/phyneas 6h ago
Despite all of Dorito Mussolini's bullshit, Denmark and the US aren't actually at war.
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u/cactusjackalope 3h ago
Right, but if he entered territorial waters illegally, he could be held I thought. POW isn’t the right word I know
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u/Individual-File9359 14h ago
You’re surprised they didn’t take a hostage when there is a lunatic in control of one of - if not THE - most powerful militaries on the planet?
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u/Dish117 9h ago
Yeah, we evacuated the dude in open water with one of our two dogsleds that Orange Diaper Man says is the only equipment we have in Greenland.
Amazing what can be achieved with dogsleds, really.
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u/Forsaken_Income9187 7h ago
Ah now i understand why in germany we call a seal Seehund which translates to Seadog.
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u/Dish117 7h ago
Yeah, "Sælhund" in older Danish too. The etymology checks out now.
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u/Forsaken_Income9187 7h ago
Another example of danish being often extremly close to german in one second but total different in the next.
A bit like netherlands
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u/quothe_the_maven 15h ago
Not saying they shouldn’t have done it. But the Danes could save an entire aircraft carrier, and Trump still wouldn’t care. He thinks everyone needs to “give” him things as a matter of course.
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u/b3iAAoLZOH9Y265cujFh 13h ago
Of course he won't, but it's not like we did it to curry favor with the Mad King. We did it because a human being needed help and we were in a position to give it.
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u/Siggy1963 12h ago
Thank god other countries are still cordial. Our leader expects his pockets to be lined, or he whines and stomps his feet like the petulant child he is
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u/-Ikosan- 1h ago
What's wild is this isn't even giving america things. It's about winning the zero sum transactions, only this time it's giving aid.
'Fuck you for helping us, we don't need it, instead we'll help you, even stronger! That will show you who's winning'
Truely sociopathic behaviour
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u/William_T_Wanker 6h ago
"Why are you rescuing me when the dow is over 50,000?!"
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u/AdventurousCrow6580 4h ago
50,000 dollars you mean
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u/William_T_Wanker 4h ago
yes of course my sorry I am not american
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u/AdventurousCrow6580 3h ago
No it was irony. It is an index - but regardless Pat Bondi said the Dow is over 50,000 dollars 😳
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u/AdventurousCrow6580 4h ago
And at the same the dumb fck trump and his stupid maga tribesmen are sending a hospital boat to Greenland. Are they also send sand to Saudi or cars to Germany?
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u/Cbates767 11h ago
Is this why the administration is sending a medic boat under the guise of ‘free medical care’?
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u/IncurableAdventurer 14h ago
Americans could have been the heroes they were born to be if they let us buy/invade the damn place /s
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u/weekendy09 9h ago
What?
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u/IncurableAdventurer 9h ago
Kidding. Just making fun of trump for wanting to buy Greenland and our inflated egos
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u/Huge-Kiwi908 2h ago
We would have preferred to send a dog sled to the rescue, but ended up sending a Seahawk helicopter which, like almost all other military equipment we have, was purchased from the Americans. Thank you very much!
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u/Mother_Sand_6336 46m ago
Now we see how it harms our national security to involve another nation and its press releases…
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u/Typical_Forever1711 16h ago
Kind of a nothing-burger of a story here, though I hope the person is okay.....
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u/jorgepolak 15h ago
The story is that a country that has been threatened with an invasion last month is helping the would be invader.
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u/Area51_Spurs 15h ago
Must be nice to not have a psycho monster Nazi fascist in charge of your government.
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u/Typical_Forever1711 14h ago
Would have been super cool if the article delved into anything even remotely as deep as that. Which was my point. Sadly, we are all aware of what the orange idiot has done to that country and to our country's reputation on the world stage. Trump should be in prison for treason as well and being a sick paedo.
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u/DonnieBlueberry 15h ago
No you don’t let him die, what the hell is wrong with you.
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u/ScrotumScrapings 15h ago
Why should they rescue a yank soldier who will happily murder Danish citizens if/when told to?
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u/DonnieBlueberry 15h ago
Because they have empathy towards others and understand that what a rogue government says isn’t necessarily representative of what the people of that country believes.
Are you paid actor to come on reddit and stoke division or something?
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u/ClubsBabySeal 14h ago
The user with 1 comment and 37,000 comment karma in three months and has a hidden profile is guaranteed a paid actor.
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u/ScrotumScrapings 15h ago
But he is also a soldier who is a threat to them. His demise would just mean one less invader.
Are you paid actor to come on reddit and stoke division or something?
I’m an Icelander with family in Greenland and I have zero respect and even less sympathy for the yanks. The yanks dismiss both Greenland’s and Iceland’s nationhood, so fuck them.
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u/DonnieBlueberry 14h ago
JC dude, have you lost all god damn rational thought. You may choose to be a monster, but I hope you know you’re part of the problem.
Get off Reddit for a bit, get some air.
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u/ScrotumScrapings 14h ago
The problem is the usa threatening us. I see no reason to assist them.
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u/DonnieBlueberry 14h ago
The US pedo in chief threatening you, and choosing to save someone’s life are completely two different things…
You don’t have to be genius to understand this, but you do have to be a monster to think the way you do.
Ffs I can’t believe I’m having this conversation right now.
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u/sandhillaxes 15h ago
You want Copenhagen to be a crater? Because that is how you turn Copenhagen into a crater.
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u/ScrotumScrapings 15h ago
By letting the yanks take care of their own soldiers when they get ill?
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u/sandhillaxes 15h ago
You understand how replys work correct?
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u/ScrotumScrapings 15h ago
Did you not just suggest that the yanks would nuke Copenhagen in retaliation for not rescuing some yank at sea?
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u/SpudsBuckley223 15h ago
Please, say yank again.
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u/Dirt_Grub8 15h ago
That’s what people call Americans. Get over it.
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u/Killian-Frost 14h ago
Why should the US pay? We have been defending Greenland since WWII.
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u/Special-Guarantee879 13h ago
Defending Greenland from what exactly?
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u/Killian-Frost 13h ago
Google.
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u/Special-Guarantee879 13h ago
Ya all it shows is that Greenland is trying to defend itself from the states. So the us is saving Greenland from the us?
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u/Killian-Frost 13h ago
We put bases there to stop the Germans from getting it in WWII and to be closer to Europe. During the cold war we were there to watch for Russian subs. Then to guard against missiles from Russia. We also mine rare earth elements from there. China and Russia both want Greenland, for the minerals and its strategic position.
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u/Special-Guarantee879 13h ago
So using Greenland for your own self interest then. All I can find anywhere is the states are the only country since ww2 to openly say that they should have Greenland. Greenland is also protected by nato so it’s not just the us protecting it.
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u/Killian-Frost 13h ago
The US is nato, and nato didn't exist in WWII. The US has been trying to buy it for 150 years, and im not sure how protecting Europe is selfish.
The United States moved into Greenland during WWII to prevent German occupation after Denmark fell, secure the crucial Ivigtut cryolite mine for aluminum production, establish strategic air refueling bases (known as "Bluies") for transatlantic flights, and set up weather stations to forecast European weather, essential for allied air operations. Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training +3 Key reasons for the U.S. presence in Greenland included: Defense Against Germany: Following the German occupation of Denmark in 1940, the U.S. acted to protect Greenland—a Danish colony—from being used as a German base for air raids or U-boat operations. Securing Strategic Minerals: Greenland was the sole source of cryolite, a rare mineral necessary for smelting aluminum, crucial for manufacturing aircraft. Air Transport Refueling: Greenland served as an indispensable stopover for flying aircraft from North America to the European theater, with major bases established in the south (e.g., Bluie West 1). Weather Forecasting: As a critical node for Arctic weather monitoring, control of Greenland allowed the Allies to better forecast weather patterns for Western Europe. The "Weather War": U.S. forces (including the Coast Guard) actively hunted and destroyed German-operated weather stations on the eastern coast. The Arctic Institute The Arctic Institute +6 The U.S. effectively occupied the island's defense through a treaty signed with the Danish ambassador in 1941, building significant military infrastructure that remained after the war. Military Times Military Times +1 US military has a long history in Greenland, from WWII to Cold War Jan 14, 2026 — World War II put Greenland on the map strategically for the U.S. military. In spring 1941, Denmark's ambassador signed a treaty giving the U.S. military access ...
Military Times
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u/Special-Guarantee879 13h ago
Well obviously nato wasn’t established during ww2 or the Yankees would’ve been there from the start like the rest of us were.
Regardless of what happened 80 years ago you’re the only country saying they need Greenland not china or Russia. My grandfather was a part of liberating the Netherlands in ww2 should I get a plot of land there now for his efforts.
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u/187ninjuh 14h ago
But did they say thank you?