"Yankee go home" sounds in Denmark: Bases opened to the use of the USA created controversy
The Danish parliament (Folketing) passed the law allowing the US to establish permanent military bases on Danish soil, despite large-scale public protests and serious legal warnings from experts. As a result of the vote, 95 deputies voted “Yes”, 11 voted “No” and one person was abstained, three air bases were opened to the US military.
Which bases were delivered to the US army?
Denmark surrendered the Skrydstrup, Karup and Aalborg bases to the US army. Skrydstrup Air Base is the main war wing of the Danish Air Force. Karup is the largest air base in Denmark with an area of 3 thousand hectares. Serving as both a civil airport and a military facility, Aalborg is home to C‐130 and Challenger aircraft.
According to the news reported by the Danish media, not a single minister from the government front took the podium during the vote and defended the agreement. During the discussions, only representatives of Enhedslisten, Alternativet parties and independent deputy Theresa Scavenius highlighted the illegal and democratic aspects of the agreement.
“Denmark is becoming part of the military empire of the USA”
Trine Pertou Mach, the defense spokesman for Denmark's Red-Green Alliance Enhedslisten, reacted to the agreement with the statements that "Denmark is becoming part of the US military empire." Mach also pointed out that the agreement 'cannot be terminated for 10 years' and predicted that Denmark's control over defense policy would weaken.
Another important topic of debate about the agreement is whether it is in accordance with the Danish Constitution. International law professor Frederik Harhoff from the Danish Institute for Human Rights announced in a statement to the Danish media that the agreement in question could be contrary to Article 20 of the Constitution. While this article stipulates that Danish sovereignty can only be transferred to international organisations such as NATO and the European Union (EU), the transfer to the national authorities of a 'uningular country' like the USA is clearly prohibited.
“It means the collapse of the concept of the state”
Peter Vedel Kessing of the Institute for Human Rights said, "If the military forces of another country are authorized on Danish soil, this means not only the collapse of the constitution, but also the concept of the state."
Controversial item 6
Article 6, one of the most controversial articles of the agreement, gives the U.S. military the right to exercise 'all the powers deemed necessary', but it is not clearly stated what these powers cover. It is still unclear whether the US military police will have the authority to prosecute and force Danish citizens.
met with protests
Protests accompanied the discussions over the transfer of critical air bases in Denmark to the USA.
In the protests held against the agreement in the big cities of the country, especially in the capital Kophenag, the slogans of "Yankee go home" and "USA-baser - nej tak" (US base - No thanks) came to the fore.
Carsten Andersen, a spokesman for the 'Aarhus mod Krig og Terror' (Aarhus against war and terrorism), a spokesman for the Aarhus urban-based peace organization known for its actions against the US and NATO military activities, said: "If Trump threatens Russia from these bases or if Denmark closes the straits and passages to the Russians, the country to be bombed will be Denmark, not the US."
Communist Party leader Lotte Rørtoft-Madsen evaluated the agreement as follows:
“I just watched the session where the parliament approved the base agreement with the US. The discussion lasted only 38 minutes. At the end of 38 minutes, the deployment of the US military on Danish soil was agreed. With this agreement, three regions are left to the US sovereignty. US soldiers will be able to carry weapons and use force. This situation is contrary to the Danish Constitution. Not a single representative of the government parties spoke throughout the debate.”
Rørtoft-Madsen also stated that American soldiers could regulate their own postal services, banking transactions and tax exemptions under the agreement, stressing that the agreement made Denmark a 'parallel society'.
The footprint of the USA in Europe is growing
This development is, above all, part of the US's strategy to arbitrate NATO's northern wing, both to build influence and to part of Europe's plan to militarize against Russia.
However, this agreement means 'compromising the principles of impartiality, sovereignty and the rule of law' by a major segment in Denmark. Moreover, this agreement has further heated the already tense political atmosphere due to the recent sovereignty debates over Greenland and the increasing military influence of the US in the region.
Sources:
https://arbejderen.dk/indland/protester-i-syv-byer-da-folketinget-vedtog-baseaftalen-med-usa/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/11/denmark-vote-defence-bill-us-airbases
https://arbejderen.dk/indland/staerk-protest-mod-amerikanske-baser/
https://arbejderen.dk/indland/groent-lys-til-militaere-usa-baser-i-danmark/
https://arbejderen.dk/indland/lovforslag-om-amerikanske-baser-kan-vaere-i-strid-med-grundloven/