Denmark Seriously Prepared for War with the USA, Donor Blood Supplies and Explosives Were Transferred to Greenland
When Trump began threatening Greenland in January 2026, Copenhagen urgently transferred its best units, donor blood supplies, and explosives intended for blowing up runways to the island. France also assisted Denmark in those days.
Greenland's capital, Nuuk. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol / Anadolu via Getty Images
The Danish publication DR published an investigation based on information obtained from twelve high-ranking sources in the Danish government, the supreme military command, and the intelligence services of France and Germany.
According to their data, the crisis began to escalate shortly after the US elections at the end of 2024. When Donald Trump once again assumed the presidency and began openly stating his intention to gain control over Greenland "by force," Denmark began to seek support in Europe.
Already in early 2025, during closed negotiations, Copenhagen appealed to Paris, Berlin, and the capitals of Nordic countries, trying to form a unified position. Danish diplomats faced a difficult task: on the one hand, to prevent escalation with a key historical ally, and on the other, to not allow the USA to impose its will by brute force.
A French official who coordinated communication between Copenhagen and Paris told the publication:
"The political leadership, Armed Forces, and security apparatus of Denmark decided to 'accept the challenge.' We were ready to do almost everything Denmark asked for."
According to him, Paris confirmed its readiness to send a battalion of elite troops to Greenland and provide maximum support from the French Navy — the strongest among EU countries — and aviation. Similar assistance was offered by other allies, particularly Germany.
2026 Escalation
The end of summer and autumn 2025 are described by DR sources as a period when the crisis developed relatively slowly. The possibility was considered that in 2026, European allies would gradually increase their military presence in Greenland to demonstrate their readiness to defend the island. However, events radically accelerated in early January 2026.
Stephen Miller, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Chief of Staff Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Kaine. Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images
Eight DR sources name one specific factor that triggered it: the morning of January 3, 2026, when European leaders awoke to news that the United States had attacked Venezuela and removed the country's president from power.
For European governments, this was a signal that Donald Trump was ready not only to make harsh statements but also to implement them by force. In this context, his words about Greenland began to be perceived as a direct threat.
"That's when everything exploded. When Trump constantly says he wants to take Greenland, and what happened in Venezuela happens, we were forced to seriously consider all scenarios," the publication quotes a high-ranking source in the Danish security apparatus.
According to the source, when assessing the threat of Greenland's seizure, it was taken into account that "official US structures do not operate as they used to. To the same extent as before, there are no longer people around Trump who could dissuade him. This is extremely dangerous."
The publication recalls that the day after the operation in Venezuela, Donald Trump made an enigmatic statement regarding Greenland.
Denmark's Actions in Response to the American Threat
Under the influence of these events, Denmark decided to act immediately. An advance group — military personnel from Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden — was first transferred to Greenland, deployed in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq.
The participation of most countries was purely symbolic, but the main Danish forces were fully combat-ready. They included, among others, soldiers from the Danish Dragoon Regiment from Holstebro, elite Jægerkorpset (Jaeger Corps) fighters. And also French alpine chasseurs, specially trained for warfare in harsh mountain conditions. Simultaneously, Danish fighter jets and a French warship were dispatched to the North Atlantic.
Officially, this operation was called "Arctic Endurance" exercises, but in reality, it was about creating a real defensive foothold.
According to DR sources, Danish soldiers arrived in Greenland with explosives intended to destroy main runways, primarily in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, if necessary.
The goal was clear: if the US tried to land troops, these runways were to be blown up to impede the American operation. Simultaneously, blood supplies were delivered to Greenland — a standard measure not for exercises, but for situations where real combat losses are expected.
According to sources, the Danish military command issued a so-called "royal order for action" (kongelig forholdsordre) to the troops. Usually, in similar situations, such orders can be softened to avoid escalation, but this time, according to sources, "there was nothing de-escalatory in the order." The military had to be ready for battle, and F-35 fighters were dispatched with full combat armament.
DR claims it also gained access to a specific operational order, issued on January 13, 2026, which became the basis for the troop transfer. The order describes an operation aimed at preparing Greenland's defense, which could be expanded with the involvement of even more soldiers and military resources.
Illustrative photo. Bundeswehr units during NATO's Nordic Response exercise in Norway. March 2024. Photo: Kay Nietfeld / picture alliance via Getty Image
At the same time, none of the participants had illusions about their chances in an open confrontation with the USA.
The strategy was different: to make any American attack appear as a full-fledged hostile act against several NATO countries simultaneously. The presence of soldiers from different nations with national flags on their chevrons on the island was meant to make Trump consider that any American operation would automatically become a conflict not only with Denmark but also with other European states. And the end of relations.
This logic sharply differed from Denmark's behavior in 1940, when the country did not resist German occupation. Now, after prolonged closed discussions, the opposite decision was made: in case of attack — to fight, even if it means conflict with a much stronger adversary.
One of the most difficult questions remained whether European allies were ready to go all the way in a real confrontation with the USA. Sources admit that there is still no answer to this question. As one German official noted, he is glad that Europe did not have to test this in practice, because a US attack on Greenland in the presence of NATO troops would have spelled the end of the alliance.
Consequences of the Greenland Crisis
The situation eased after January 21, when Donald Trump, in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, stated that the US does not intend to use military force against Greenland, although it continues to consider the island important for its security.
US Ambassador to Denmark, Kenneth Hauwery, later confirmed this position in official comments, but he evaded a direct answer to whether the Pentagon had real invasion plans.
As the publication notes, none of the interviewed sources disclose exact intelligence data on specific US plans to occupy Greenland. Nevertheless, in January, many of them feared that the historically important ally — the United States — might begin to seize the island.
"Perhaps we will never know if they were preparing to use military force. I grew up during the Cold War, and sometimes I wish I could go back to that relatively stable time when world leaders knew how far they could go without provoking the worst-case scenario," the publication quotes an anonymous German official.
In turn, a high-ranking French representative noted that the past year with Donald Trump in the White House showed: Europe must "re-learn the grammar of power" and can no longer rely on unconditional military support from the US in case of attack.
The main question now is whether Europe is capable of standing firm and whether it can adapt to new conditions. A partial answer to this was already heard in early March, when the Danish government announced: the country, along with seven other European states, will join strategic nuclear cooperation with France. Simultaneously, the Danish and European military presence in Greenland will not only be maintained but will also develop within NATO.
Despite the temporary lull, a high-ranking source in the Danish security apparatus warns that the situation remains unstable. As long as Donald Trump is in the White House, his desire to make history by expanding American territories will remain a constant source of threat to the Danish Commonwealth, so the fateful days of January could recur at any moment.
Meanwhile, as DR writes, official ministries of Denmark and the Greenland government refuse to comment on the details of this secret operation, maintaining silence around events that could have changed the world map.
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