Translated using Mistral AI (French):
Key sources in Denmark and Europe are now revealing for the first time what happened during the most critical days when Donald Trump threatened to take Greenland “by force.”
In January of this year, Danish soldiers were hastily deployed to Greenland, carrying explosives to destroy runways in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq. This was intended to prevent US military aircraft from landing troops on the island if President Donald Trump chose to seize Greenland by force. The soldiers also brought blood supplies from Danish blood banks to treat potential casualties in the event of combat.
This information comes from DR, which over the past year has spoken with key sources in the Danish government, top military officers, senior officials, and intelligence sources in Denmark, France, and Germany. All of these sources have played—and continue to play—critical roles in the international crisis triggered by the US demand to gain control of Greenland.
The sources paint a picture of an unprecedented year filled with sleepless nights. While none of them had concrete intelligence about specific US attack plans against Greenland, many feared in January that the US, a historically vital ally, might launch an assault at any moment.
At the same time, they describe how Denmark reached out to its European allies, forging closer unity in response to the crisis.
“With the Greenland crisis, Europe realised once and for all that we must be able to ensure our own security,” said a senior French official who played a pivotal role during the intense months and critical days of the crisis.
Denmark Took the Initiative to Engage Strategically
Key figures from France and Germany report that Denmark, shortly after Donald Trump’s re-election as US president in late 2024, began confidential discussions as early as the start of 2025. The goal was to secure political support to resist escalating US demands to take over Greenland. Denmark sought backing not only from Paris and Berlin but also from the Nordic capitals, aiming to build a European political alliance to defend the Danish Realm.
Denmark wanted to avoid escalation with the US but was also determined not to yield to overwhelming American military power if an attack on Greenland occurred, according to multiple sources.
“The political leadership, the Defence, and the security apparatus in Denmark decided to ‘engage strategically,’” said the French official, who helped coordinate cooperation between the Danish and French governments.
The countermeasures taken by Denmark and its allies—initially proposed by Denmark—were designed to signal strong European solidarity and increase joint military activities in Greenland.
“We were prepared to do almost anything Denmark asked for,” the official said. “Would you like more soldiers? You could have them. More naval support? You could have it. More air support? That too.”
Several other allies, including Germany, also offered early support.
‘That’s When the Situation Escalated’
The late summer and autumn of 2025 were described by DR’s sources as a period of simmering tension. At the time, Denmark and its European allies planned to deploy troops to Greenland in 2026 to demonstrate their commitment to defending the island.
However, in early January 2026, the situation escalated dramatically. Eight of DR’s sources highlight one key trigger: the morning of 3 January 2026, when they awoke to news that the US had attacked Venezuela and removed its president.
“That’s when the situation exploded,” said a high-ranking source in the Danish security apparatus.
Trump had not only repeatedly expressed his intention to use military force but had now demonstrated his willingness to do so in Venezuela.
“When Trump kept saying he wanted to take Greenland, and then the attack on Venezuela happened, we had to take every scenario seriously,” the source explained.
The source added that part of the threat assessment was the concern that “the official US system was not functioning as usual”:
“Trump no longer had the same advisers around him who would talk him out of such actions. That made it extremely dangerous.”
The day after the Venezuela operation, Trump made a cryptic statement about Greenland.
Elite Soldiers Rushed to Greenland
Within days, an advance team of Danish, French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish soldiers was urgently deployed to Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq. They were soon followed by a larger force, including soldiers from Denmark’s Dragon Regiment, elite troops from the Danish Special Forces (Jægerkorpset), and French Alpine hunters trained for warfare in cold, mountainous terrain. Danish fighter jets and a French naval vessel were also dispatched to the North Atlantic.
The goal of stationing troops on Greenland—with as many different national flags as possible—was to force the US into a major hostile act if Trump attempted a military takeover. This was intended to deter any US action.
“We haven’t faced a situation like this since April 1940,” said a Danish defence source, referring to the days before Denmark’s occupation during World War II.
At that time, Denmark had chosen not to resist militarily. But in the Greenland crisis, after lengthy discussions in highly classified meetings, the government and military leadership adopted the opposite approach:
If the US attempted an attack, Danish soldiers were ordered to fight back, and the deployed F-35 fighter jets were fully armed. This was despite the understanding that Denmark could not realistically withstand a full-scale US assault.
“The idea was to raise the cost for the US. They would have to commit a hostile act to take Greenland,” said a senior Danish defence source, describing a historic defence plan that could have plunged Denmark into its first conflict with its most important ally since World War II.
A Defence of the Danish Realm
Publicly, the operation was presented as a military exercise called ‘Arctic Endurance’. But it was not a drill, according to a central Danish defence source:
“There was no mistaking it—this was serious. You don’t pack blood supplies and explosives for a routine exercise.”
Multiple sources confirmed that the deployment was about preparing for a real defence of the Danish Realm.
‘That Would Have Been the End of Everything’
DR was unable to confirm whether European allies would have fought if US soldiers had attacked Greenland.
“I’m glad we didn’t have to answer that question,” said a senior German official.
“If the US had attacked Greenland—with NATO troops present—it would have called everything we believed in into question.”
On 21 January 2026, Trump shifted his stance, stating in a speech at the Davos summit that he would not use military force against Greenland, though he reiterated that “the US needs Greenland.”
In a statement to DR on 18 March, US Ambassador to Denmark Kenneth Howery said:
“President Trump has been clear about Greenland’s and the Arctic’s importance to US national security. In Davos, he stated unequivocally that the US would not use military force against Greenland. We continue to maintain our long-standing diplomatic and security cooperation with the governments of Denmark and Greenland and look forward to further collaboration on shared interests.”
DR asked the ambassador whether the US had military plans to attack Greenland, but he did not respond.
‘The Worst-Case Scenario’
DR’s sources had no intelligence confirming specific US plans to attack Greenland.
“We may never know if they were preparing to use military force,” said the German official, adding:
“I grew up during the Cold War, and sometimes I miss the relative stability of that era, when world leaders knew how far they could push without triggering the worst-case scenario.”
For the senior French official, the past year with Trump in the White House has shown that Europe must “relearn the grammar of power” and cannot rely on US military support if Europe is attacked.
“We’ve seen increasing brutality and a return to raw power politics. The idea of alliances is crumbling. The question is whether Europe can stand firm—and adapt.”
Part of the answer came in early March, when Denmark announced it would join seven other European countries in a strategic nuclear cooperation agreement with France. Meanwhile, Danish and European military activities in Greenland will continue—now under NATO’s auspices.
‘This Isn’t Over’
Although the immediate US pressure on the Danish Realm has eased since January, a high-ranking source in the Danish security apparatus warned:
“This isn’t over. Trump has three more years in office. Regardless of what happens, the distrust and the challenge to the Danish Realm will persist as long as he is determined to expand US territory.”
Neither the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Danish Defence, nor the Greenlandic Government has commented on the information provided by the 12 sources regarding the situation in Greenland.