Denmark deploys troops to Greenland amid tensions with US

Denmark strengthened its military presence in Greenland on Monday, deploying additional troops to this strategic Arctic territory, in a context of escalating tensions with President Donald Trump.

Local Danish broadcaster TV 2 said the Danish armed forces had confirmed that a new contingent of soldiers, described as “a substantial contribution”, was arriving at Greenland’s main international airport on Monday evening.

Major General Søren Andersen, head of the Danish Arctic Command, said that around 100 Danish troops had already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, with more being deployed to Kangerlussuaq in west Greenland.

This new military decision follows Trump’s comments on the strategic and military importance of the region.

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Denmark is deploying additional troops to Greenland after President Donald Trump said the island was not safe from Russia and China. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS)

In a January 18 Truth Social article, Trump warned that Denmark had failed to protect Greenland from foreign threats.

“NATO has been telling Denmark for 20 years that ‘you must remove the Russian threat from Greenland,'” Trump wrote.

“Unfortunately, Denmark couldn’t do anything. Now is the time and it will be done!!!” he said.

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People wave Greenlandic flags during a mass protest against President Donald Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland, in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17, 2026. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images; Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images)

On Monday, a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre about Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize was published in a statement.

“Denmark cannot protect these lands from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘property right’ anyway?” Trump said before adding that there was “no written record; it’s just that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we’ve had boats land there as well,” he said as part of the exchange.

“I have done more for NATO than anyone since its inception, and now NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not safe until we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT,” he added.

Previously, according to Reuters, Andersen said the Danish troop deployment was driven by broader security concerns, not Trump’s statements.

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Danish troops practice scanning for potential threats during a military exercise in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, September 17, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also said Denmark had started increasing its military presence in and around Greenland, in cooperation with its NATO allies and as part of efforts to strengthen defense in the Arctic, Reuters reported.

Danish forces already stationed in Greenland could remain there for a year or more, with additional rotations planned in coming years.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on January 15 that the presence of European troops would not affect Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland.

“I don’t think European troops have any impact on the president’s decision-making process, or his goal of acquiring Greenland,” she told reporters.

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The additional deployment of Danish troops also follows Trump’s announcement that the United States would impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from countries that supported Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.

Fox News Digital has contacted the White House for comment.