Denmark warns troops will ‘shoot first’ if Greenland is invaded amid Trump threats

Denmark has warned that its troops are under standing orders to “shoot first and ask questions later” if Greenland comes under attack, amid growing anxiety in Europe over the United States under President Donald Trump openly weighing military action to seize the Arctic territory. Denmark’s Defence Ministry confirmed that a Cold War–era military directive obliges soldiers to respond immediately to any foreign invasion without waiting for political clearance or formal orders. Speaking to a Danish newspaper, the ministry said the rule requires forces to “immediately take up the fight” if attacked and remains fully in force.

The directive, introduced in 1952, states that in the event of an invasion, troops must act “without waiting for or seeking orders, even if the commanders in question are not aware of the declaration of war or state of wHere is aar”. According to Danish officials, the provision applies regardless of who the invading force may be.

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The rule dates back to the Cold War and was introduced after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in April 1940, when communications collapsed and commanders were unable to issue instructions. The directive has remained in place ever since as a safeguard against similar scenarios.

In Greenland, responsibility for determining whether an incident constitutes an attack would lie with the Joint Arctic Command, Denmark’s military authority on the island. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory but remains under Danish sovereignty.

The warning comes as European leaders struggle to frame a response to repeated statements by Trump, who has refused to rule out the use of force to annex Greenland. The White House has said Trump is still considering all options, heightening unease among Denmark’s allies.

European governments have rallied behind Copenhagen, calling for a coordinated response to any US move against Greenland. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said he would raise the issue with his German and Polish counterparts, stressing the need for collective action.

“We want to take action, but we want to do so together with our European partners,” Barrot said.

He added that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had “discarded” the idea that Greenland could face an intervention similar to the recent US assault on Venezuela aimed at ousting President Nicolas Maduro. Despite those assurances, Denmark’s reaffirmation of its shoot-first doctrine underscores how seriously it is preparing for the possibility of escalation.

According to foreign media reports, the Trump administration is considering offering direct cash payments to Greenlanders to encourage them to break away from Denmark and move closer to the United States. US officials have discussed offering lump-sum payments of between $10,000 and $100,000 per person to Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents. Aides have floated figures that could total nearly $6 billion, though the idea remains at a preliminary stage and details are unclear.

Another option under discussion is a Compact of Free Association, similar to agreements the US has with some Pacific island nations. Under such arrangements, Washington provides financial aid and defence protection in exchange for military access. Greenland would likely need to become independent from Denmark first, and payments could be used to encourage public support for that step or for a future agreement.

Polls show that most Greenlanders favour independence from Denmark, but surveys also indicate they do not want to become part of the United States.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is critical to US national security due to increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. “I think that ownership gives you things you can’t get from a treaty,” Trump told a foreign media outlet.

The United States already operates in Greenland under a 1951 defence agreement that allows it to establish military facilities with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.

Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any US military action against Greenland would have serious consequences for Nato.