France's Sole Aircraft Carrier Could Sail Between Greenland And Invading American Troops
'Charles De Gaulle's carrier group is the most potential naval formation in Europe
U.S. Pres. Donald Trump escalated his threats toward Greenland on Tuesday. Asked how far he’d go to seize the self-governing island from Denmark, Trump replied: “You’ll find out.”
Trump has already declared a 10% tariff on good from any country he sees as trying to block an American takeover of Greenland and its 57,000 people, more than 80% of whom oppose U.S. annexation. Markets have plummeted in response to the intensifying trade war, erasing more than $1 trillion in value.
Denmark and its NATO allies are finding their resolve. Copenhagen has doubled—to around 200 soldiers—its infantry garrison in and around Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and its main population center.
Danish navy warships are nearby. Danish air force stealth fighters recently staged a demonstration flight alongside a French air force aerial tanker. Plans are shaping up for a larger long-term Danish military presence on the Arctic territory.
Meanwhile, the basic shape of a possible European intervention is also coming into focus. As many as 200 French Alpine troops are already on their way to Greenland for a NATO exercise. Swedish fighter aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Iceland as part of a separate—and long-planned—NATO rotation.
Perhaps most importantly, the French navy is preparing to deploy its sole aircraft carrier, FS Charles De Gaulle—and is preserving the option of staging the vessel, its air wing and its escorts between Greenland and the United States.
“A transit off the coast of Greenland will depend on the level of the crisis,” Ouest-France reported. “In any case, this is Europe’s last resort in the face of Donald Trump’s ambitions.”
