Germany, Other NATO Allies Sending Troops to Greenland Amid Trump Threats

Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Canada are deploying military personnel to Greenland in response to Trump’s repeated threats to annex the Danish territory. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that Swedish Armed Forces officers arrived Wednesday as part of a multinational operation at Denmark’s request, framed as strengthening regional security under Operation Arctic Endurance. Germany confirmed deployment of over a dozen reconnaissance troops on Thursday, while France has also engaged diplomatically though without formal announcement.

Trump declared on Truth Social that U.S. control of Greenland is “vital” for national security and the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, stating “Anything less than that is unacceptable.” He has repeatedly threatened military action, saying he will acquire Greenland the “easy way” or “hard way” regardless of consent, and warned that U.S. military planners have prepared invasion scenarios for the NATO ally territory.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within Denmark’s kingdom since 1979, maintains Danish authority over foreign policy and defense. Both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have categorically rejected U.S. sovereignty claims, with Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stating at a press conference: “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark.” The Danish government reaffirmed that “Greenland’s future is for Greenlanders alone to decide.”

NATO allies are framing the troop deployments as political solidarity with Denmark and Arctic security strengthening, directly contradicting Trump’s annexation demands. The Danish government stated the increased military presence aims to “train the ability to operate in Arctic conditions and strengthen the Alliance’s footprint” for European and transatlantic security. European leaders view the coordinated deployments as demonstrating NATO unity against Trump’s unilateral pressure.

The escalating conflict exposes fundamental divisions between Washington and European capitals over the legitimacy of U.S. global ambitions and threatens NATO cohesion. Trump’s assertion that he is constrained only by his “own morality” and not international law underscores the severity of the geopolitical rupture as diplomatic tensions continue ahead of scheduled U.S.-Danish meetings on Arctic security.

(Source: https://www.newsweek.com/greenland-germany-sending-troops-nato-donald-trump-threats-11361535)