The reports the Danish broadcaster DR citing twelve high-ranking sources from government, armed forces and European intelligence circles. For the “Arctic Endurance” exercise, unlike usual, blood supplies and explosives were even flown to Greenland.

Danes wanted to blow up runways during US attack

According to the report, it was the plan in a US attackincluding blowing up the runways in the Greenland cities of Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq. This was intended to prevent US troops from landing in these areas of Greenland. For this purpose, Danish and French elite soldiers were sent to the huge island in January. Germany also sent a pioneer troop.

According to a senior Danish defense source, the motto for the defense plans was to massively increase costs for the US – Washington would have to commit a hostile act to annex Greenland. Shortly after Donald Trump’s election, Denmark sought close contact with Germany, France and the other Nordic countries. The aim was to show that Europe would not simply give in to pressure from the USA.

Europeans offered concrete help

The Europeans offered comprehensive help. “We would do almost everything that Denmark asked for,” a French official told DR. Among other things, they wanted to send troops in the strength of a battalion, up to 1,000 soldiers. Germany also offered help.

None of the sources cited by Danish broadcaster DR had any information about specific US attack plans. Nevertheless, they actually feared a US attack on Greenland. The attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro in particular raised alarm bells. “When Trump kept saying he wanted to annex Greenland and then what happened in Venezuela happened, we had to take all scenarios seriously,” said a Danish intelligence officer.

“Trump will stay with us for three more years”

Whether the Allies in an actual US attack on Greenland Denmark would have jumped to the side is still unclear. Through the Agreement announced by US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davosthe scenario was probably averted. “That’s a question that we fortunately didn’t have to answer,” a German intelligence official told DR. According to the Danish intelligence agency, the dispute over Greenland could flare up again at any time: “It’s not over yet. Trump will be with us for another three years.”