Denmark has sent additional combat troops to Greenland. With U.S. President Donald Trump refusing to back down from his intention to purchase Greenland and even threatening tariffs, Denmark raised the level of its military response. Denmark also proposed a formal surveillance operation at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) level, beginning to check the United States more strongly.
Foreign media including Denmark's TV 2 and Politico reported on the 19th (local time), citing a source at the Ministry of National Defense, that a sizable contingent of Danish combat troops headed to Greenland along with Denmark Army Chief of Staff Peter Boysen. The additional troops will be deployed across Nuuk, Greenland's capital, and Kangerlussuaq Air Base, about 300 kilometers north of there. The specific size of the deployment was kept confidential for security reasons. Local media, however, said it was "substantial."
Earlier, Denmark's Arctic Command had already stationed about 100 troops in Nuuk last week. They are currently conducting the multinational joint exercise "Arctic Endurance." With European allies taking part in the Denmark-led drill, analysts say it effectively amounts to a show of force against U.S. claims of sovereignty.
The pressure level from President Trump, who is squaring off with Denmark, also intensified. In an interview with NBC News on the 19th, when asked whether he would rule out the possibility of seizing Greenland by force, he answered, "No comment," heightening military tensions. He also added that if the purchase falls through, he would "100% enforce" tariffs on European countries.
The Danish government is also moving quickly to seek a collective diplomatic solution through NATO. Denmark Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen visited NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, that day and met with Secretary-General Mark Rutte. At the meeting, Minister Poulsen formally proposed launching a NATO-level "surveillance operation" over Greenland. Right after the talks, Minister Poulsen said, "The secretary-general listened closely to what we proposed," adding, "We hope a framework to flesh out this idea will be prepared soon."
Greenland Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt, who attended the talks, also urged stronger security cooperation within the NATO framework, saying, "Greenland is now facing an unprecedented situation." After the meeting, Secretary-General Rutte emphasized cooperation among allies, writing on social media that they discussed how security in the Arctic, including Greenland, is important to NATO's collective defense.
The European Union (EU) is actively supporting Denmark against the Trump administration. After meeting with figures including Minister Poulsen, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said, "Sovereignty is not for trade," drawing a clear line. Kallas also said, "Tariff threats cannot be a way to solve problems," suggesting that Europe has its own means to protect its interests.
Amid the hard-line standoff on both sides, the Danish government decided to skip the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, starting on the 19th as a diplomatic protest. Bloomberg reported that "Danish government officials have decided not to attend the Davos forum," saying the move was in response to the escalating Greenland dispute. With President Trump scheduled to attend the Davos forum, Denmark's refusal to engage in face-to-face contact is being interpreted as a display of displeasure.