Denmark’s Defence Ministry has said that Danish soldiers will open fire immediately and without waiting for orders if anyone invades Danish territory, including Greenland, under a military directive that has been in force since 1952.
The rule of engagement instructs troops to attack an invading force without awaiting commands from higher authorities. The ministry told Danish newspaper Berlingske that the directive remains in force.
The order was introduced after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in April 1940, when communications across the country partially collapsed, and has remained unchanged since then.
According to the Defence Ministry, Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, which oversees military operations in Greenland, would determine whether a situation qualifies as an attack on the autonomous Arctic territory.
The statement comes amid renewed remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed interest in taking control of Greenland and has said that the use of “military force” remains an option. Trump has argued that the Arctic island is vital to US national security, citing Russian and Chinese activity in the region.
In an interview with The New York Times, Trump said he wanted full ownership of Greenland rather than a limited agreement. “I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can't do with, you're talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can't get from just signing a document,” he said.
The United States is already a signatory to a 1951 defence treaty that allows it to establish military bases in Greenland with the consent of Denmark and the territory’s authorities.
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said that the territory is not for sale. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any military attempt to take Greenland would have serious consequences for NATO. “If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” she told Danish broadcaster TV2.
US Vice President JD Vance defended Washington’s position, saying Denmark had failed to ensure Greenland could “function as an anchor for world security.” Speaking to Fox News, he said, “Europe has failed to contend with the fundamental argument the president, and the entire administration, has made,” adding that Greenland was crucial to global security, particularly in missile defence.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US administration was considering multiple options. “President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” she said. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief's disposal.”
Meanwhile, Denmark and Greenland’s envoys to Washington met White House officials on Thursday to urge US lawmakers and senior administration officials to step back from the Greenland plan. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish officials next week.