Denmark 'substantially increases' Greenland troops as Trump won't rule out using force
Denmark will "substantially increase" the number of its troops deployed to Greenland, a Danish military spokesperson told CNN on Jan. 19, as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates his push to acquire the strategically important Arctic island.
Greenlandic and Danish authorities have rejected any suggestion that the island could be sold or seized, warning that threats of force undermine allied unity. Trump has refused to rule out using military force, arguing that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary for American security.
The additional Danish troops are scheduled to be deployed on Jan. 19, though officials have not disclosed their exact number. Chief of the Royal Danish Army Major General Peter Boysen will also deploy to the island alongside soldiers.
Approximately 100 Danish troops had already arrived in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, with a similar number stationed in Kangerlussuaq in the western part of the island.
The move follows Trump's announcement that Washington would impose 10% tariffs on NATO allies — France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland — until the U.S. secures a deal to buy Greenland. Trump has warned he will acquire the island "one way or the other."
The tariffs are set to take effect on Feb. 1 and rise to 25% on June 1. Trump issued the threat days after European forces from France, Germany, and other countries began arriving in Greenland for exercises.
Asked by NBC News on Jan. 19 whether he would use force to seize Greenland, the U.S. president offered "no comment," instead criticizing Europe's focus.
"Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine, because, frankly, you see what that's gotten them," he said. "That's what Europe should focus on — not Greenland."
As EU leaders gather this week in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, where they had planned to press Trump on security guarantees for Ukraine, Greenland has emerged as a top concern.
European Council President Antonio Costa is convening a special leaders meeting on transatlantic relations on Jan. 22, the council's spokesperson told the Kyiv Independent.
Greenland, home to about 56,000 people, already hosts a U.S. military base and has grown in strategic importance as Arctic ice melt opens new shipping routes and access to natural resources.
Several EU countries have publicly backed Denmark since Trump renewed his threats, signaling alarm in Europe over potential damage to NATO cohesion. Trump has insisted that NATO would become "more formidable and effective" if Greenland were under U.S. control.
Russian officials, by contrast, have welcomed Trump's rhetoric. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, known for provocative outbursts, has urged Trump to move quickly to annex Greenland, showing Moscow's interest in exploiting rifts between the U.S. and its allies.
