During a period at the start of 2026 when Donald Trump repeatedly threatened a military takeover of Greenland, the Danish military were prepared to blow up airport runways on the island to repel U.S. forces, DR reports. Blood supplies were also shipped to the island so the wounded could be treated if fighting occurred, sources in the Danish government and military told DR.
The Danes reportedly began planning for a hostile takeover after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured and brought to the U.S. in a raid on January 3. Off the back of the operation, Trump stressed the U.S. “need[s] Greenland from a national security situation—it’s so strategic.” He also incorrectly claimed that “right now Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”
A small battalion consisting of Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, French, and German soldiers were quickly flown to the island, according to DR; Denmark had made the decision to fight back if the U.S. tried to annex the Arctic island.
