‘Shoot first, ask questions later…’: Denmark issues stark warning amid Trump’s Greenland acquisition remarks

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated he would confer with his German and Polish Foreign Minister counterparts regarding this matter.

Published: January 9, 2026 6:40 AM IST

By Sumaila Zaman | Edited by Sumaila Zaman

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US President Donald Trump has once again sent shockwaves across the global political landscape, triggering concern and uncertainty among countries worldwide following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Maduro and Flores were flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement. Later, the White House has stated that it is considering “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, and that the use of military is not off the table. The development, coupled with Trump’s strong statements and unpredictable stance on international affairs, has raised eyebrows.

As the US continues to consider military action to annex Greenland, the country’s defense ministry issued a warning, stating that Danish forces will instantly respond to any invasion with force. This statement follows the discussion concerning the potential for United States military intervention in establishing control of Greenland. 

According to the military’s rules of engagement, soldiers would have to repel any foreign invasion without waiting for orders, the ministry was told to the Danish publication Berlingske.

It claims that a Cold War-era regulation mandating that soldiers “immediately engage in combat” in the event of an attack is still in effect. Leaders in Europe are debating how to react to Donald Trump’s persistent threats to annex Greenland. According to the 1952 rule, the military must react to an attack “without waiting for or seeking orders,” even if the relevant commanders are not aware that hostilities have officially started or that a state of war has been declared.

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The European Allies of Denmark came together to provide support and are currently pursuing a collective response to statements made by the White House indicating that President Trump continues to contemplate the option of acquiring the territory of Greenland through military action. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated he would confer with his German and Polish Foreign Minister counterparts regarding this matter. He added that France will be coordinating with its European partners to develop an appropriate response. While speaking to France Inter radio, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot  stated, “We want to take action, but we want to do so together with our European partners.”

In contrast, several European countries have opposed Trump’s plan. On January 6, a group of European leaders joint statement opposing the U.S. proposal, asserting that Arctic Security should be a collective responsibility of all nations and that any activities regarding the Arctic should be undertaken within the framework of international law.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed the statement. It also received support from the leaders of the Netherlands, Greece, Luxembourg, and Slovenia.

Johannes Koskinen, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of Finland’s Parliament, has called for discussion of this situation at both the upcoming North Atlantic Council meeting (scheduled for Thursday) and at NATO. Greenland is not an independent member of NATO; it is represented through Denmark’s membership in NATO, as reported by The Independent. Senator Rubio stated on Wednesday that at the request of both the Foreign Ministers of Greenland and Denmark, he will be meeting with Danish officials next week to discuss this issue.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump said Greenland was critical to US security due growing presence of Russia and China in the Arctic region.

Meanwhile, Trump has stated, “We need Greenland. … It’s so strategic right now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. ” He further added, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.