Denmark drew up plans to sabotage Greenland airstrips amid fears of US takeover

Denmark prepared contingency plans to sabotage key infrastructure in Greenland amid fears that the United States could attempt to seize the Arctic territory, according to multiple reports citing government and military sources.

In January, Danish troops deployed to Greenland were readied to blow up the main runways at a strategic airport if US President Donald Trump moved to occupy the island. The preparations reflected growing concern in Copenhagen that Washington might escalate its long-stated interest in acquiring the territory into direct action.

Denmark’s public broadcaster DR, citing sources within the Danish government, military, and European allies, reported that blood supplies were also transported to Greenland to treat potential casualties in the event of conflict.

The Financial Times later wrote that two European officials had corroborated the account. Denmark’s defence ministry declined to comment when approached by the BBC.

A senior Danish military official, speaking anonymously, told the BBC that “for security reasons, only a limited number of people could be aware of the operation.”

The dispute over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has exposed a deep rift between Washington and its European allies, despite both Denmark and the United States being members of NATO.

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in annexing Greenland during his second term, framing the island as vital to US national security. Greenland’s leadership and the Danish government have consistently rejected any proposal to transfer sovereignty.

DR said its reporting was based on 12 sources within Denmark’s political and military leadership, as well as allied contacts in France and Germany.

According to these sources, Copenhagen sought political backing from Paris, Berlin, and Nordic countries, aiming to present a unified European front and expand joint military activities in Greenland in response to US pressure.

Tensions intensified sharply after a reported US special forces operation on 3 January in Caracas, where Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was abducted in a rapid raid. The development, according to sources, heightened European concerns about Washington’s willingness to act unilaterally.

The following day, Trump told journalists he would “worry about Greenland in about two months,” reiterating that “we need Greenland for national security. It’s very strategic.”

A senior Danish security source told DR: “When Trump keeps saying he wants to take Greenland, and then what happened in Venezuela occurs, we had to take all scenarios seriously.”

A European official told the Financial Times that, in the wake of Venezuela, US policymakers appeared emboldened. “After Venezuela, [the Americans] thought this would be child’s play. Let’s go and take this thing, this country,” the official said.

Soon after, a small multinational force comprising Danish, French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish troops was deployed to Greenland, with units arriving in the capital Nuuk and the airport hub of Kangerlussuaq.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the time that the initial deployment would be reinforced with “land, air and naval assets.”

DR reported that subsequent reinforcements included elite Danish troops and a French unit trained for operations in cold, mountainous terrain. Danish aircraft and a French warship were also dispatched to the North Atlantic.

The broadcaster said the deployments were publicly framed as part of joint exercises under the Danish-led “Operation Arctic Endurance.” However, the underlying purpose, according to the report, was to prepare for a potential US invasion.

According to DR, Denmark took the decision that its forces would resist in the event of a US incursion. Troops were prepared to destroy runways in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq to prevent American military aircraft from landing.

A Danish defence source said the objective was to raise the cost of any US operation. “The US would have had to undertake a hostile act to take Greenland,” the source said, while acknowledging that Danish forces would have had little chance of repelling a US assault.

On 21 January, Trump, who had previously refused to rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland, struck a more cautious tone at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “I don’t want to use force. I will not use force. The only thing the US wants is a place called Greenland,” he said.

Since then, Trump has indicated he is seeking “urgent negotiations” to find a compromise and ease tensions.