Trump’s Eye on Greenland Receives Warning Strike from Denmark, Says They Will Shoot First, Ask Questions Later

Key Points:

The growing tension over the United States’ interest in acquiring the Arctic island of Greenland has escalated, with Denmark issuing a warning. The Danish Defence Ministry has stated that its soldiers will engage in military action first if any nation attempts to invade Greenland, a remark seen as referring to the recent wish expressed by President Donald Trump to acquire the Arctic territory.

The recent warning against the US is based on the army’s 1952 directive from the Cold War era (1945–1989), which instructs troops to attack without awaiting orders from higher authorities if any Danish territory faces a threat of invasion.

See Also: Trump’s Intervention in Venezuela: The 3 Warnings for the World

The Defence Ministry confirmed to the Danish newspaper Berlingske that the decades-old directive “still remains in force.” The directive, first introduced in 1940 following Nazi Germany’s attack on Denmark, continues to apply. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. 

The Arctic territory has long been regarded as a crucial pillar of early-warning and defence architecture across the North Atlantic.

The Danish Defence Ministry’s response comes amid the Trump administration’s strong stance on taking control of Greenland. Trump has argued that acquiring Greenland is vital to safeguarding US national security. He has previously hinted that the United States could consider acquiring Greenland, a NATO ally through military action if necessary.

Both Denmark and Greenland have reiterated that the Arctic island is not available for any kind of purchase. Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on January 7, 2026, that top US officials are actively discussing an offer to buy the territory. “It is something that is currently being actively discussed by the president and his national security team,” Leavitt said.

See Also: ‘This Is State Terrorism’: Global Outrage as Trump Launches Illegal Assault on Venezuela

Just days after the unexpected US military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on January 3, 2026, Trump spoke candidly about his views. Speaking to The New York Times when asked about constraints on his global power, he said, “Yeah, there is one thing my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”

US Vice President JD Vance stated that the island is vital to global security and warned that the United States would act if its allies fail to respond to the situation. He also argued that several critics are overreacting to Trump’s statements.

“What has the president said? Number one, Greenland is really important not just to America’s missile defence, but to the world’s missile defence,” Vance said. “Number two, we know that there are hostile adversaries who have shown a lot of interest in that particular territory, that particular slice of the world.” Vance added that the United States is therefore urging its European “friends” to take the security of the territory “more seriously.”

Suggested Reading: