Published on 6/24/2026
Danish Defense Minister Ybe Bros announced that his government would begin deploying conscripts in Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory, which arouses the ambitions of US President Donald Trump.
“In Greenland, conscripts will be deployed alongside professional soldiers, and will participate in all missions,” Bruce wrote in response to a question about the territory.
The Danish Defense Minister explained that this measure would allow the recruits to be trained in a way that would enable them to participate in carrying out the tasks of the armed forces, but he did not specify the date and number of the recruits’ arrival, nor did he address the tasks that would be assigned to them.
TV2 television channel had previously reported that the army was considering deploying recruits in the region starting next September, as part of efforts to strengthen its presence in the face of pressure from the United States.
In 2025, US Vice President J.D. Vance accused Denmark of neglecting its regional security. At the beginning of 2026, Trump refused to rule out the use of force to seize the Arctic island, and then he eventually backed down.
Following the Russian war on Ukraine, Denmark extended military service to 11 months, and expanded its scope to include women.
Greenland receives great attention due to its strategic location and its rich reserves of rare earth minerals.
Trump has repeatedly stressed that the United States must control Greenland for reasons related to national security, noting that this autonomous Danish region is at risk of falling into the hands of China or Russia. Press reports also stated that Washington wants to open 3 new bases in the south of the island.
Trump retracted his threats to annex Greenland in January, and Copenhagen and Nuuk formed a working group to discuss US concerns, especially those related to the military aspect.
