US secretly sought intel on Greenland military sites
Photo: Information was sought by US military official (Getty Images)
In 2025, the US, under strict confidentiality, sought information from its Danish counterparts in Greenland on military facilities, ports, and air bases, according to Berlingske.
The media notes that the information comes from documents of the armed forces and the Ministry of Defense that were heavily redacted for reasons of national security.
The source also notes that the communication appears to have taken place outside the usual channels, which typically include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and Denmark's military leadership.
In particular, in January 2025, a US military officer twice—six days apart—requested information from the Danish military command in Greenland.
"The first request for information was received on January 16, 2025. On January 26, the defense authorities were again informed that the same unnamed individual had requested additional information," the media reports.
The requests apparently concerned Greenland's infrastructure, including critical military facilities—that is, information that could have been of significant importance for planning a US invasion of the island. However, it remains unclear whether any information was actually passed on to Washington, and if so, what exactly was shared.
The media also notes that earlier the same month, President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland. The visit took place on January 7, 2025.
The US Embassy in Copenhagen told the newspaper that no one should be surprised that the US engages in dialogue and maintains contacts with partners in Greenland and Denmark, as they work together to ensure security within the alliance and in the Arctic.
Background
Over the past year, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States wants to acquire Greenland, and he has recently intensified his rhetoric.
On January 17, Trump announced tariffs on goods from eight European countries until the US is granted permission to buy Greenland back.
He posted that, starting February 1, 10% tariffs would apply to goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom, adding that from June 1, the tariffs would increase to 25%.
In response, European leaders said they were ready to deliver a joint response to the US president's tariff threats. According to Bloomberg, the EU intends to suspend a trade agreement with the United States that was concluded in 2025.
Based on statements from Trump administration officials, the US does not rule out a military seizure of the island.
In addition, according to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a US invasion of Greenland would deal a blow to NATO and make Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin the happiest man on Earth, as it would allow him to justify his war against Ukraine.
