Denmark deploys additional forces to Greenland after US President Trump's threats

Denmark has deployed additional troops to Greenland following a threat by US President Donald Trump to take control of the self-governing Danish territory. Following the threat, the chief of the Royal Danish Army, Peter Boysen, and a “substantial contribution” of soldiers landed in Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland on Monday evening, according to a report by the public broadcaster DR and other Danish media.

Danish public broadcaster TV2 confirmed that 58 Danish troops had arrived in the Arctic territory, adding to roughly 60 soldiers deployed earlier for ongoing multinational military exercises known as Operation Arctic Endurance. Denmark’s Ministry of Defence and the Danish Armed Forces did not immediately comment on the deployment.

Trump refused to rule out the use of military force

The move came just hours after President Trump refused to rule out the use of military force to gain control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory, which he labelled as crucial to Washington’s security.

Speaking to NBC News on Monday, Trump responded “no comment” when asked whether he would consider taking the island by force. His remarks followed a weekend text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storer, in which Trump said he no longer felt bound to “think purely of peace” after missing out on this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Denmark has said it is willing to consider an expanded US military presence in Greenland. Still, it has consistently maintained that the territory is not for sale and warned that any attempt to seize it by force would effectively end NATO.

Trump’s repeated claims that Greenland should come under US control have pushed relations between the US and Europe to their lowest point in decades, fuelling concerns over a possible breakdown of the transatlantic security alliance, which counts both the US and Denmark among its 32 members.