Danish soldiers are required to open fire without waiting for orders if any foreign force attempts to seize Greenland by force — including troops from the United States — under a standing military directive dating back to 1952 that remains in effect, Denmark’s Defence Ministry has confirmed.
The directive, first reported by Danish newspaper Berlingske, instructs military personnel to “immediately take up the fight” in the event of an attack on Danish territory, even if no formal declaration of war has been issued and higher command is unaware of the situation.
Defence officials said the order applies universally, regardless of the attacker’s identity.
The decades-old instruction has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that the United States could take control of Greenland by force if necessary, citing American national security interests in the Arctic.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and hosts strategically important Arctic and North Atlantic routes.
Denmark’s Defence Ministry confirmed to Berlingske that the directive “remains in force,” a position echoed by both Danish and Greenlandic media outlets. According to established procedures, Denmark’s Arctic Command would assess whether a developing situation constituted an attack, triggering the order.
The directive was introduced in the aftermath of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Denmark in April 1940, when communication breakdowns left many units uncertain how to respond. Denmark’s National Encyclopedia notes that the order was designed to ensure immediate resistance to any assault, without waiting for political or military authorization.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued stark warnings over the implications of any military action against Greenland. Speaking to Danish broadcaster TV2 this week, she said a US attack on Danish territory would effectively end NATO.
“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen said. “That includes NATO and the security framework that has existed since the end of World War II.”
Both the Danish and Greenlandic governments have consistently rejected Trump’s proposals to purchase or otherwise acquire the island, stressing that Greenland’s future can only be decided by its people.
Despite the tensions, diplomatic engagement is continuing. Denmark has welcomed a high-level meeting with US officials next week to discuss Greenland, following confirmation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that talks would take place.
Details of the meeting, including its location and participants, have not been disclosed.
Greenland’s government has confirmed it will participate. “Nothing about Greenland without Greenland,” Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt told Danish broadcaster DR. “Of course we will be there. We are the ones who requested the meeting.”
Greenland, home to roughly 56,000 people, most of them Inuit, lies mostly north of the Arctic Circle and has become increasingly important amid growing geopolitical competition in the region.
As Arctic ice recedes and global interest intensifies, Denmark’s reaffirmation of its defence doctrine underscores how seriously it views sovereignty over the vast island — and the potential consequences if that sovereignty is challenged.