Obama praises Denmark with recycled cliché

Danish forces not the only ones “punching above their weight”

When PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen visited the White House on Monday, he received some familiar-sounding praise from President Barack Obama.

On at least three previous occasions, Obama has praised small nations in exactly the same way he praised Denmark, according to Jyllands-Posten newspaper.

“Denmark is a country that –using and American phrase – punches above its weight,” Obama told Rasmussen, referring to the efforts of Danish soldiers in Afghanistan.

Compare that to what Obama told the Norwegian prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, in 2009: “Norway has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the USA, and like I told the prime minister, there is a phrase we use in the US – a boxing phrase – Norway is punching above its weight.”

When the president met with the former Irish head of state, Brian Cowen, he said: “The Irish government is punching above its weight in crucial areas.”

And when Philippine president Macapagal-Arroyo visited the White House in 2009, his country was praised with the line: “Although the Philippines aren’t among the world’s biggest nations, the country punches above its weight on the international scene.”




  • The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    A team of young internationals has created an app that is helping their peers connect and build friendships in Denmark, addressing the challenges of social integration.

  • New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    The documentary Greenland’s White Gold, reveals the worth of cryolite mining in Greenland to be in the billions. Over the years its value has been undermined, despite it acting like a gold mine for the Danish state. 

  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.

  • Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Most parents in Denmark reject using social media parental controls despite knowing about them. A new study questions the effectiveness of these tools in ensuring children’s online safety.