Under gray Arctic skies, Denmark has quietly expanded its military footprint in Greenland, moving additional forces into the vast territory as tensions sharpen between Copenhagen and President Donald Trump over control and security of the strategically critical island.
According to Fox News, Danish officials confirmed Monday that a fresh contingent of troops arrived in Greenland, marking what the armed forces described as a “substantial contribution” to the region’s defense.
The deployment comes as global attention has once again turned northward, with Greenland increasingly viewed as a key prize in great-power competition.
According to Danish broadcaster TV 2, the reinforcements landed Monday night at Greenland’s main international airport.
Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, who leads Denmark’s Arctic Command, said roughly 100 Danish soldiers have already been stationed in Nuuk, the capital, with additional forces slated for deployment to Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.
The troop movement follows pointed criticism from Trump, who has repeatedly questioned Denmark’s ability to defend Greenland from foreign threats.
In a Jan. 18 post on Truth Social, Trump argued that Denmark has long ignored warnings from NATO.
“NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,’” Trump wrote. “Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
Trump’s remarks have sparked protests in Greenland itself. Over the weekend, demonstrators waving Greenlandic flags gathered in Nuuk to protest Trump’s proposal to acquire the territory.
The debate intensified further on Monday with the release of a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
In the messages, Trump questioned Denmark’s historical claim to Greenland.
“Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?” Trump said. “There are no written documents; it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also.”
He continued by linking Greenland to broader alliance obligations.
“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States,” Trump wrote. “The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland.”
Danish officials have insisted the military buildup is not a direct response to Trump’s statements.
According to Reuters, Andersen previously said long-term security concerns in the Arctic drove the deployments.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen echoed that view, saying Denmark is coordinating with NATO allies to strengthen Arctic defenses, with some forces expected to remain for a year or longer.
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said European troop deployments would not deter Trump’s ambitions.
“I don’t think troops from Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” she said.
The latest deployment also follows Trump’s announcement of a new 10% import tax, set to take effect in February, targeting goods from countries that have backed Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.
