Danish PM Mette Frederiksen and US President Donald. (Photos: AP/Wikimedia Commons) Denmark has said its soldiers would open fire immediately if any foreign force tried to invade Danish territory, as tensions rise with the United States over Greenland.
Denmark’s Defence Ministry confirmed that a 1952 military directive allows troops to act without waiting for orders if the country or its territories come under attack.
“Soldiers are instructed to engage immediately and open fire without awaiting orders,” the Defence Ministry told Danish newspaper Berlingske, as quoted by AP.
Why this rule exists
The rule dates back to the Cold War and was introduced after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in April 1940, when communications collapsed and commanders could not issue instructions. The directive has remained in force ever since.
Who decides what counts as an ‘attack’
In Greenland, the Joint Arctic Command, Denmark’s military authority on the island, would decide whether an incident amounts to an attack. Greenland is an autonomous territory but is overseen by Denmark.
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The warning comes as US President Donald Trump continues to raise the possibility of taking control of Greenland.
Trump has said the island is critical to US national security because of Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. “I think that ownership gives you things you can’t get from a treaty,” Trump told The New York Times.
The US already operates in Greenland under a 1951 defence agreement that allows it to establish military facilities with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.
‘Greenland is not for sale’
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any US military action would have serious consequences for Nato.
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“If the United States chooses to attack another Nato country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2.
US Vice President JD Vance defended Washington’s position, saying Denmark had not done enough to secure Greenland. “Denmark has failed to ensure Greenland can function as an anchor for world security,” Vance told Fox News.
He said Greenland was important not just for the US but for global security, including missile defence.
Danish and Greenlandic envoys met White House officials this week to urge restraint.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish officials next week as diplomatic talks continue.