'Shoot first, ask later': Denmark invokes 1952 defence rule as US pressure on Greenland mounts
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Denmark's PM Mette Frederiksen warned this week that any military action in Greenland, overseen by the country, would mean the end of Nato. (Photo: Reuters)
Copenhagen: Denmark’s Defence Ministry has issued a stark reminder of its military protocols as tensions rise over US President Donald Trump’s stated intent to acquire Greenland. The ministry confirmed that a 1952 Cold War-era directive remains in effect, authorising soldiers to open fire on invading forces immediately without awaiting orders from commanders.
The directive, established after the Nazi invasion of April 1940 caused a communications collapse in Denmark, is designed to ensure immediate resistance during a foreign incursion. The Joint Arctic Command, Denmark's military authority in Greenland, retains the discretion to evaluate what constitutes an act of aggression.
The clarification comes as President Trump, 79, intensifies calls to take control of the autonomous territory, citing threats from Russian and Chinese maritime activities. Dismissing the current 1951 treaty that allows US military presence on the island, Trump told The New York Times 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."
US Vice President JD Vance backed the President's stance on Thursday, telling Fox News that Denmark has failed to ensure the Arctic territory functions as an "anchor for world security," particularly regarding missile defence.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic officials have repeatedly stated the island is not for sale. Frederiksen escalated her warning this week, suggesting a US military move would shatter the North Atlantic alliance. "If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops," she told broadcaster TV2.
While military rhetoric heats up, diplomatic efforts continue. Envoys from Denmark and Greenland met with White House officials on Thursday to dissuade the administration from its takeover plans. Further discussions are expected next week, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio scheduled to meet Danish officials.