Trine Bramsen


Trine Bramsen is a Danish politician of the Social Democrats, who is an MP for Fyns since 2011 and the Minister of Defence since 2019.

Early life

Bramsen was born in Svendborg to schoolteachers Bo Steffen Madsen and Lene Bramsen Madsen. She worked as a consultant with Deloitte from 2007 until 2011.

Political career

Bramsen was first elected member of Folketinget for the Social Democrats in the 2011 elections.
Bramsen was appointed Minister of Defence in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on 27 June 2019. Early in her tenure, she oversaw the addition of about 700 soldiers, a frigate and four fighter jets to NATO forces. Following the 2020 Iranian attack on U.S. forces in Iraq, she temporarily moved some of its military personnel for the international military intervention against ISIL from the Al Asad Airbase to Kuwait.

Controversy

Bramsen was the IT and telecommunications spokesperson for the Social Democrats, when she replied to a comment by the IT-Political Association of Denmark, in a debate about electronic elections wherein participants are identified with chips. Bramsen argued in favour of the electronic elections, which she perceived as feasible, even though the Association with technical industry experience was in opposition.
She wrote an article titled A call for IT nerds: Stop wearing tennis socks — and speak so that we can understand you!. The article was met by criticism for its condescending attitude. As a result, she was reassigned to be a spokesperson on justice.
In her new position, she argued for making The Onion Router illegal.