Denmark ramps up defenses in Greenland as Trump zeros in on control of territory

Denmark connected Monday ramped up its subject beingness successful Greenland, deploying other troops to the strategical Arctic territory amid escalating tensions with President Donald Trump.

Local Danish broadcaster TV 2 said the Danish Armed Forces confirmed a caller contingent of troops, described arsenic "a important contribution," were arriving astatine Greenland’s main planetary airdrome Monday night.

Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, caput of Denmark’s Arctic Command, said astir 100 Danish soldiers person already arrived successful Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, with others aboriginal deployed to Kangerlussuaq successful occidental Greenland.

The caller subject determination comes successful the aftermath of comments made by Trump implicit the region's strategical and subject importance. 

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Denmark deploys further troops to Greenland aft President Donald Trump claims the land is not unafraid from Russia and China.  (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS)

In a Truth Social station Jan. 18, Trump warned that Denmark had failed to unafraid Greenland against overseas threats.

"NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you person to get the Russian menace distant from Greenland,’" Trump wrote. 

"Unfortunately, Denmark has been incapable to bash thing astir it. Now it is time, and it volition beryllium done!!!" helium said.

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People question Greenlandic flags during a wide objection opposing President Donald Trump’s connection to get Greenland, successful Nuuk, Greenland, connected Jan. 17, 2026. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images; Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images)

On Monday, a substance connection speech betwixt Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre implicit Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize was released successful a statement.

"Denmark cannot support that onshore from Russia oregon China, and wherefore bash they person a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?" Trump said earlier adding that determination were "no written documents; it’s lone that a vessel landed determination hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," helium said successful portion of the exchange.

"I person done much for NATO than immoderate different idiosyncratic since its founding, and now, NATO should bash thing for the United States. The satellite is not unafraid unless we person implicit and full power of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT," helium added.

Before now, according to Reuters, Andersen had said that Danish unit deployment was driven by broader information concerns, not by Trump’s statements.

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Danish troops signifier looking for imaginable threats during a subject drill successful Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, connected Sept. 17, 2025.  (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen besides said that Denmark has begun expanding its subject footprint successful and astir Greenland successful practice with its NATO allies and arsenic portion of efforts to fortify Arctic defense, Reuters reported.

Danish forces already stationed successful Greenland could stay for a twelvemonth oregon more, with further rotations planned successful the coming years.

Meanwhile, White House property caput Karoline Leavitt said Jan. 15 the beingness of European troops would not impact Trump’s involvement successful acquiring Greenland.

"I don't deliberation troops from Europe interaction the president's decision-making process, nor does it interaction his extremity of the acquisition of Greenland astatine all," she told reporters.

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The further Danish unit deployment besides came pursuing Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would enforce a 10% import taxation starting successful February connected goods from countries that person supported Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the White House for comment.