Denmark secretly prepared to disable runways at airports across Greenland to prevent a potential U.S. Military invasion, according to multiple reports surfacing this week. The preparations, which included deploying troops to the island and flying in blood supplies, were triggered by increasingly assertive rhetoric from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the possible annexation of Greenland.
The escalating crisis began in January 2025, when the Trump administration first signaled its interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. These efforts intensified in late 2025 and into early 2026, culminating in Trump’s refusal to definitively rule out the use of military force to secure the territory, as well as threats of a 25% import tax on goods from the European Union unless Denmark ceded control of Greenland.
Reports from the BBC, Fox News, The Daily Beast, Euronews, and The Guardian detail the Danish government’s contingency planning. Danish forces were reportedly dispatched to Greenland, and preparations were made to render the island’s airstrips unusable to U.S. Aircraft. The Guardian reported that Denmark also flew blood supplies to Greenland, suggesting anticipation of potential casualties.
The move to potentially sabotage its own infrastructure underscores the seriousness with which Denmark viewed the threats from Washington. The Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is a member of the European Union and a NATO ally of the United States. The prospect of a military confrontation between the U.S. And Denmark, or a trade war with the EU, raised significant concerns among other NATO members, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as Canada.
At a conference in Davos on January 21, 2026, President Trump reversed his earlier position, stating he would not pursue military action or tariffs to annex Greenland. Despite this reversal, the Danish government has not publicly confirmed whether the runway disabling preparations have been fully stood down.
Key figures involved in the crisis include President Donald Trump, along with advisors JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Stephen Miller, and Jeff Landry on the U.S. Side. Representing Denmark were Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Foreign Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, former Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Greenlandic Premier Múte Bourup Egede, and Vivian Motzfeldt.
The situation remains unresolved, with no official statement from the Danish government regarding the status of its contingency plans. Operation Arctic Endurance and Operation Arctic Sentry, involving multiple European nations, remain in effect.
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