On Monday, Denmark took steps to bolster its military presence in Greenland by sending additional troops to this strategically important Arctic region, responding to rising tensions involving former President Donald Trump.
According to Denmark’s TV 2 broadcaster, the Danish Armed Forces confirmed the deployment of a significant number of troops, who were set to arrive at Greenland’s primary international airport on Monday evening.
Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, the leader of Denmark’s Arctic Command, announced that around 100 Danish soldiers had already reached Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, with further deployments planned for Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.
This increase in military forces follows Trump’s remarks highlighting the strategic and military significance of the region.
Denmark’s decision to send more troops comes after Trump’s assertions that Greenland remains vulnerable to threats from Russia and China.
In a Truth Social post dated January 18, Trump voiced his concerns that Denmark had not adequately protected Greenland from potential foreign incursions.
“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!!!” he said.
People wave Greenlandic flags during a mass demonstration opposing President Donald Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland, in Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 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 over Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize was released in a statement.
“Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?” Trump said before adding that there were “no written documents; it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also,” he said in part of the exchange.
“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT,” he added.
Before now, according to Reuters, Andersen had said that Danish troop deployment was driven by broader security concerns, not by Trump’s statements.
Danish troops practice looking for potential threats during a military drill in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also said that Denmark has begun increasing its military footprint in and around Greenland in cooperation with its NATO allies and as part of efforts to strengthen Arctic defense, Reuters reported.
Danish forces already stationed in Greenland could remain for a year or more, with additional rotations planned in the coming years.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jan. 15 the presence of European troops would not affect Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland.
“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 told reporters.
The additional Danish troop deployment also came following Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from countries that have supported Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
