State Visit from the USA to Denmark: September 2-3, 2019 {Cancelled}

[Kingen]

H.E. President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will pay a state visit to Denmark, upon invitation from H.M. The Queen. The state visit will take place 2-3 September 2019. A detailed program will be published later.

This is the fourth visit from an American President to Denmark. President Clinton's state visit to Denmark in 1997, was followed by a visit by President Bush in 2005 and President Obama in 2009, in connection with COP15.

The Queen, together with Prince Henrik, made a state visit to USA and President George H.W. Bush in 1991.

http://kongehuset.dk/nyheder/usas-pr...soeg-i-danmark

[Lumutqueen]

It’ll be nice to see the jewels and dresses.

[Muhler]

Yes, there were some discussions as to whether this would be a working (and short) political visit. I.e. a government head to government head encounter, with a short cutesy visit to QMII or a state visit.
It is now a full blown state visit - and at very short notice!

It seems there were no plans for a visit at all only a short time ago, but that the Danish government received a hint that the US President would like to be invited to DK.
As USA is a crucial ally to DK such hint will automatically lead to an official invitation on whatever level is desired. In this case a state visit.
The previous three US presidents have all visited DK.
President Clinton got a full state visit treatment at Fredensborg.
President Bush was on an official visit level IIRC and celebrated his birthday here. - He and the then Danish PM were personal friends so that was something the government very much wished for.
President Obama visited DK twice, on both cases on an audience level. Because he was here for other purposes, but a head of state always pays his or her respect to the head of state of the country they are visiting. (Except in very specific circumstances.)

It is no secret that the the politics of the current US administration is not in line with the views of the majority of Danish politicians, and certainly not with the current government. - It will be some baptism of fire our new PM will go through!
Now, why would President Trump like to visit DK of all places?

There are according to political commentators two main security political reasons:
A) DK has been one of the most steadfast allies with USA in regards to sending our military in the front line when requested. The latets request being to send DK soldiers to Syria to advise and support the Kurds there. - In reality they and other European troops going there will be human shields, preventing the Turks from attacking the Kurds. And at the same time President Trump can fulfill a promise of pulling US troops home from Syria.
Apart from that DK still has troops in Irag and Afghanistan.
This visit will be a nod of acknowledgment of that fact.
B) The Arctic.
DK is on behalf of Greenland laying claim to the North Pole. There is a good chance that the international courts will rule in favor of Greenland/Denmark. That will also be (officially) more palatable to Russia than USA or even Canada winning control over the North Pole.
Since DK is a member of NATO and a close ally to USA as well as USA having a large base in Greenland, that means that USA will control the North Pole by proxy.
Why is that important you ask.
Because as the arctic ice is melting rapidly these years, the arctic sea-routes become not only practical for commercial shipping but profitable. That means ships sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific can sail through Greenlandic and Canadian waters rather than through the Panama canal, which despite being enlarged is pretty congested.
It is also important for Russia, because an alternative route is north of Russia and Russian has an economic interest in shipping going that way.
Shipping means money and security political implication, which necessitate protection. And that means a military build up in the Arctic.
Canada and DK has a co-operation and increased military presence in the Arctic, with USA holding back, in order not to antagonize the Russians (and Chinese) too much.
USA has expressed a wish to enlarge it's military contingent on the base in Greenland. - And that must be seen in the light of the increasing economic interests and possibilities the Arctic now presents.

So President Trump is not coming to DK to enjoy the scenery...

I guess we will not see our Marie and Joachim at the gala dinner. Joachim will after all just have started his course in France.

QMII is a seasoned host and she will no doubt take very good care of the Presidential couple, but as this is a state visit, there will be more than the odd audience. M&F will have an important role to play, not least in regards to accompanying the US First Lady.

[polyesco]

It will be interesting to see the upcoming agenda. As we have seen previously, Frederik with Mary play a huge role during the state visits.

the Queen will be visiting the state of Schleswig-Holstein starting on Sept. 3
H.M. Dronningen aflægger officielt besøg i delstaten Slesvig-Holsten og besøger det danske mindretal | Kongehuset

[carina_a]

That is some very short notice for a state visit for sure. When I saw the title I was expecting at the very end of the year or early next year.

Since DRF is low on manpower these days, sorry Fred & Maz

[gerry]

I wonder if the US presidential couple is coming to Denmark to check out if you are really the happiest people in the world or perhaps as a reaction to this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryppmnDbqJY

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by carina_a

That is some very short notice for a state visit for sure. When I saw the title I was expecting at the very end of the year or early next year.

Since DRF is low on manpower these days, sorry Fred & Maz

Originally Posted by polyesco

It will be interesting to see the upcoming agenda. As we have seen previously, Frederik with Mary play a huge role during the state visits.

the Queen will be visiting the state of Schleswig-Holstein starting on Sept. 3
H.M. Dronningen aflægger officielt besøg i delstaten Slesvig-Holsten og besøger det danske mindretal | Kongehuset

Very short notice indeed!

I cannot recall anything like this before. an incoming state visit followed by an outgoing official visit the very next day!
Fortunately QMII is in fine shape, but her summer holiday has just ended!
And so I'm afraid has M&F's, because they will shoulder most of the burden.
They may still be away, but they will have to do a lot of reading now!
There will be briefings, meetings with the government, background info to be digested, suggestions on what to do, laying out the details and for Mary in particular in what to wear. All that not least in the light of the well known spontaneity of the current US President.

I wonder if it is the DK government who (no doubt with full backing of the Foreign Political Council (*)) that has suggested this to be a full blown state visit?
Because our new Prime Minister, the Social Democrat, Mette Frederiksen is new on the job, and so are her ministers. This is the first incoming state visit. They will need all the help and support they can get and here the DRF comes in handy.

(*) Foreign Political Council (Udenrigspolitisk Nævn) is a Parlimentary advisory panel, that together with the government, lay out the foreign and security policy for Denmark and offer advise.
That means the government can quickly consult and sound out the opposition and the supporting parties as well. - I.e. what overall line can be agreed on - fast! Without having to go through the formalities of debating in the Parliament, answering questions in the Parliament and inviting spokespersons over for consultations.
And usually the council can work together and agree on an overall line in times of emergencies, after all the opposition may find themselves in a similar situation later on. So party political interests tend to be outweighed by national interests.
Because this is an emergency! Having the US President, who is well known for his frank approach in regards to diplomatic relations, de facto inviting himself over is a considerable challenge to any government!

[Kingen]

Not extremely short notice. The recent Korean state visits to Norway and Sweden were announced about two weeks in advance. That is really short notice!

I guess this will be business as usual in the DRF and how the tasks are divided. The custom nowadays is that F&M take care of the program and QMII only attends welcome ceremony, state banquet and return reception.

[carina_a]

The Court has published more details of QM's official visit to Schleswig-Holstein on 3-6 September 2019. It says that QM will arrive at Flensburg Harbour with Dannebrog on 3 September and upon arrival there will be a reception at the port of Flensburg.

So I guess we can assume that QM will not participate in the return dinner of the state visit?

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by carina_a

So I guess we can assume that QM will not participate in the return dinner of the state visit?

If there is a return dinner at all. Could be that the Visit already ends in the afternoon of the second day.

[Muhler]

I too doubt there will be a return dinner. The visit s too short for that - and there are logistic (read: security problems) as well, which will take too long to organize.

https://www.bt.dk/politik/topraadgiv...get-anderledes
An advisor to a former DK Prime Minister has told a little about how such an improvised state visit is handled.
Basically plans for a visit by the US President are being made from around the time he is elected.
That means there are rough blue prints for handling such a visit.

This visit might be different, because President Trump is known to be impulsive.
It is already a slight breach of protocol to announce a visit before the hosting country is informed. - When the news broke, the DK government replied to the press that they didn't know about an upcoming visit, but that the US President is of course always welcome. The DRF didn't know about any visit either.

A state visit is at the highest level and between countries on very friendly terms, especially allies, that means you don't criticize your hosts. In other words: Were President Trump to express his annoyance with DK not spending 2 % (or more) of it's GNP on defense, that's a breach of protocol and can be compared to being invited to a lavish dinner, only to criticize the food...
- So a state visit may be very deliberate...

What happens right now is that the Danish Foreign Ministry is contacting other countries that President Trump has visited, to learn about how to handle him. The dos and don'ts. That information is passed back to the PM's office. (And no doubt passed on to the court.)

- That's what friendly countries and allies are for. The same thing would apply had it been a visit by say the Chinese President.

[rob2008]

The reason for the state visit is a little more obvious. Trump is addicted to selfpromotion and the pomp of the British state visit honoured his whole extended family like a medieval monarch - with retinue. The grandeur of a Cristiansborg reception will meet his needs of grandiosity. He has to be honoured in the manner of any average egotistical dictator and the sparkle and dignity of the Danish court on the global stage is a means to that end.

[Rudolph]

Do American Presidents normally address the Danish Parliament during a state visit?

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

Do American Presidents normally address the Danish Parliament during a state visit?

No.
Nor do any other foreign heads of states.
It is however customary that a visiting head of state at least meet with the leader with the opposition, in this case former PM, Lars Løkke, whom he has actually met before and seemingly got on with fairly well.
It is also customary to meet the Chairman of the Parliament.

[Kingen]

It will be interesting to see the length of this state visit, considering QMII visit to Germany from the 3rd and that she is scheduled for Public Audiences at Christiansborg on the 2nd (from 10am). I'm not sure, but have understood that the audiences last for a few hours at least.

[Muhler]

It is very likely the audiences will be cancelled. Especially if the US President will be anywhere near Christiansborg that day.

Here is a BB gallery of QMII at the visits of the previous US Presidents:https://www.billedbladet.dk/kendte/i...e-praesidenter

[Rudolph]

Well I’m looking forward to this visit. It’s important NATO allies keep a close relationship. Denmark is a valued member of the alliance.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Here is a BB gallery of QMII at the visits of the previous US Presidents:https://www.billedbladet.dk/kendte/i...e-praesidenter

I thought President Clinton had paid a state visit to Denmark, but the pictures in the link show a business suit dinner (?). I wonder why.

[Al_bina]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Yes, there were some discussions as to whether this would be a working (and short) political visit. I.e. a government head to government head encounter, with a short cutesy visit to QMII or a state visit.
It is now a full blown state visit - and at very short notice!

It seems there were no plans for a visit at all only a short time ago, but that the Danish government received a hint that the US President would like to be invited to DK.
As USA is a crucial ally to DK such hint will automatically lead to an official invitation on whatever level is desired. In this case a state visit.
The previous three US presidents have all visited DK.
President Clinton got a full state visit treatment at Fredensborg.
President Bush was on an official visit level IIRC and celebrated his birthday here. - He and the then Danish PM were personal friends so that was something the government very much wished for.
President Obama visited DK twice, on both cases on an audience level. Because he was here for other purposes, but a head of state always pays his or her respect to the head of state of the country they are visiting. (Except in very specific circumstances.)

It is no secret that the the politics of the current US administration is not in line with the views of the majority of Danish politicians, and certainly not with the current government. - It will be some baptism of fire our new PM will go through!
Now, why would President Trump like to visit DK of all places?

There are according to political commentators two main security political reasons:
A) DK has been one of the most steadfast allies with USA in regards to sending our military in the front line when requested. The latets request being to send DK soldiers to Syria to advise and support the Kurds there. - In reality they and other European troops going there will be human shields, preventing the Turks from attacking the Kurds. And at the same time President Trump can fulfill a promise of pulling US troops home from Syria.
Apart from that DK still has troops in Irag and Afghanistan.
This visit will be a nod of acknowledgment of that fact.
B) The Arctic.
DK is on behalf of Greenland laying claim to the North Pole. There is a good chance that the international courts will rule in favor of Greenland/Denmark. That will also be (officially) more palatable to Russia than USA or even Canada winning control over the North Pole.
Since DK is a member of NATO and a close ally to USA as well as USA having a large base in Greenland, that means that USA will control the North Pole by proxy.
Why is that important you ask.
Because as the arctic ice is melting rapidly these years, the arctic sea-routes become not only practical for commercial shipping but profitable. That means ships sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific can sail through Greenlandic and Canadian waters rather than through the Panama canal, which despite being enlarged is pretty congested.
It is also important for Russia, because an alternative route is north of Russia and Russian has an economic interest in shipping going that way.
Shipping means money and security political implication, which necessitate protection. And that means a military build up in the Arctic.
Canada and DK has a co-operation and increased military presence in the Arctic, with USA holding back, in order not to antagonize the Russians (and Chinese) too much.
USA has expressed a wish to enlarge it's military contingent on the base in Greenland. - And that must be seen in the light of the increasing economic interests and possibilities the Arctic now presents.
... [snipped].

It is strange to read about " USA holding back, in order not to antagonize the Russians (and Chinese) too much" and "USA has expressed a wish to enlarge it's military contingent on the base in Greenland". Hopefully Russia and China will reciprocate in the Central and South Americas.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Al_bina

It is strange to read about " USA holding back, in order not to antagonize the Russians (and Chinese) too much" and "USA has expressed a wish to enlarge it's military contingent on the base in Greenland". Hopefully Russia and China will reciprocate in the Central and South Americas.

Well, I won't comment on that personally.

The whole purpose of this visit is politics and there will be a lot of politics in the translations, summaries and background info I will end up posting in this thread. Certainly in regards to the overall political lines.
All that will be conveyed as unbiased as possible by me and I will keep my personal political opinion to myself while the visit lasts. I have no wish to see this thread closed. This visit is too interesting in every possible way.

The international protocol for state visits is that the host nation will foot the bill for accommodating and feeding the foreign head of state and an entourage of max twenty persons.
The visiting nation will pay for accommodating additional members of the entourage.
The reason is to prevent a head of state from bringing an entourage of ten thousand, who must all be accommodated and fed, lavishly, by the host nation. At a tremendous cost! - An insidious way of annoying another country!
Needless to say a US president brings with him an entourage of considerably more than twenty persons! But they will be paid for by the US taxpayers.

Security.
Will be massive!
According to Danish legislation no foreign police officers or security agents have authority on Danish soil, unless under direct command by Danish police officers. Nor are they allowed to be armed. - An exception is foreign police officers giving chase across the border, until Danish police can take over.
The US Secret Service is armed to the teeth!
A simple way to get around that is to issue the Secret Service agents with diplomatic passports. And diplomatically close the eyes... In that way they are not searched nor questioned and their... peculiar... baggage is not searched nor questioned either. And should the worst thing happen, that there will be an incident, the Secret Service agent enjoy immunity from prosecution.
Pretty routine. Danish police officers and security agents also have diplomatic passports when operating in more high risk places abroad. We have seen that many times with the DRF.

Where will President Trump stay?
Is not known yet.

President Bush and his wife stayed at Fredensborg when he came visiting. That is a plausible. Fredensborg is larger and easier to secure than the guest mansion at Amalienborg. There has to be room for communications, staff, advisors, an office and so. There is room for that at Fredensborg but not Amalienborg.
An alternative if the US embassy. But it's really not that big and it's more difficult to secure.
Other alternatives is to commandeer a hotel or borrow a private manor near Copenhagen.
But so far I believe that Fredensborg is the most likely place. Also because the President can be flown in and out by helicopter.

Where will the gala-dinner take place?
Well, there are only two options:
Christiansborg, which is designed for large events like this. But there is no room for accommodation afterwards. But surrounded by a moat it's easy to secure, even though it's located in the middle of Copenhagen.
Fredensborg is of course the most convenient solution, should the President be accommodated there. It is smaller, but also more intimate and much more beautiful than Christiansborg with a lot of history. And I imagine President Trump will appreciate the tradition with visiting heads of state scribbling their name on a pane of glass which will be placed in one of the windows. Perhaps near the signatures of Winston Churchill and Eisenhower.
Certainly Presidents Bush and Clinton seemed to enjoy the more intimate atmosphere at Fredensborg, but we shall see.

Day one, I'm sure, will be welcoming with the President and QMII in the lead.
Day two however will be more political and here M&F will step in taking care of the First Lady. I imagine there will be a couple of events in the forenoon hosted by M&F perhaps culminating in a lunch at M&F's mansion at Amalienborg, while the President has a business lunch with Danish politicians.

Now, the planners at the Foreign Ministry are very good at making guests feel at ease. So if you can imagine something Donald Trump, not President Trump, but Donald Trump would like to see or experience while in DK, they will do their best to arrange it.