Trump repeats false or exaggerated claims about Greenland as he pushes for U.S. ownership

President Trump has made a series of claims about Greenland in recent weeks, insisting the United States needs to take control of the island to protect Americans — a view Greenland officials and NATO allies reject.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Mr. Trump called acquiring Greenland "a core national security interest of the United States of America," reiterating his interest in acquiring the self-governing territory from Denmark.

Later Wednesday, following a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the president seemed to temper his language, saying that he and Rutte had reached "the framework of a future deal" regarding Greenland. The president did not provide details on the alleged deal. 

As he's sought to justify his efforts, Mr. Trump has claimed in interviews and conversations with world leaders that Denmark has no legal claim to Greenland. He's also exaggerated threats from China and Russia, and falsely suggested Denmark provides almost no defense for the island.

Here's a closer look at several of those claims.

Trump's claim that Denmark has no legal right to Greenland

Mr. Trump wrote in a text exchange with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Jan. 19:  "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also." 

Details: In the text exchange with Støre, Mr. Trump questioned Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland, writing there are "no written documents" establishing ownership. 

The claim is false.

There are written agreements and court rulings establishing Denmark's claim to Greenland, including a declaration by the U.S. secretary of state in 1916 which explicitly recognized Danish control over the territory. An international court also ruled in 1933 that Denmark held valid sovereignty over the entire island.

Danish explorers and settlers began colonizing Greenland in the early 1700s, at a time when the U.S. was still a British colony.

"Danish expeditions reached and settled Greenland centuries ago," Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, told CBS News in an email. "Since then, Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland has been internationally recognized, including by the U.S., just as similar claims are recognized for many other nations around the world."

Trump's claim that Russian and Chinese ships surround Greenland

Trump said in a press gaggle on Jan. 4: "Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place." (Press gaggle, January 4)

Mr. Trump said at a Jan. 9 press conference: "We need that because if you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers. There are Chinese destroyers and bigger. There are Russian submarines all over the place. We're not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that's what they're going to do if we don't."

Details: Trump has also repeatedly claimed that a large number of Russian and Chinese ships are currently operating near Greenland.

There is no evidence to support that claim.

Greenland's minister of business Naaja Nathanielsen said she was "not aware" of any Russian and Chinese ships or submarines around Greenland when asked about Mr.Trump's comments  earlier this month.

Public ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic does not show any Russian- or Chinese-flagged commercial vessels around Greenland, with most traffic consisting of fishing boats. While vessels can turn off their transponders or spoof their locations, experts say there is no indication of the large-scale naval presence Mr. Trump has described.

"The claim by President Trump of Russian and Chinese ships all over the place does not hold,"  Romain Chuffart, the managing director of The Arctic Institute, a non-profit think tank, told CBS News by email.

Other experts have noted that Russian naval activity in the Arctic is concentrated near Norway, while China's Arctic involvement has focused on trade with Russia and exercises near Alaska.

Trump's claim that Denmark's defenses in Greenland consist of "two dog sleds"

Mr. Trump told reporters on Jan. 11: "And Greenland basically, their defense is two dog sleds. Do you know that? You know what their defense is? Two dog sleds."

Details:  In jest or not, that is incorrect. While Danish special forces do operate the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol — a special force which patrols remote, icy areas using sled dogs — that is just one part of its military presence. 

Denmark deploys Arctic patrol vessels, surveillance aircraft, and maintains a military base in Nuuk with about 150 personnel, according to the Danish Ministry of Defense.

Danish officials have also committed roughly $6.5 billion to modernize military capabilities in Greenland over the next decade, Chuffart said.

As for the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, the 12-person team uses dog sleds because it is "the most adequate mode of transportation in the region,"  according to Chuffart.

The U.S. already operates an air base in Greenland and has the option to expand its presence under a 1951 agreement with Denmark. Danish officials have said they would welcome greater U.S. cooperation on security — but insist Greenland is not for sale.