Denmark’s army chief, Major General Peter Boysen, said his country is ready to deploy “boots on the ground” to Greenland to maintain sovereignty as U.S. pressure for control of the Arctic territory intensifies.
In an interview with The Atlantic, Boysen stressed that while advanced tools like satellites, drones, and cyber defenses provide “domain awareness,” physical presence is essential. “In order to maintain sovereignty, you need boots on the ground,” he said. “We need units that are able to deploy to Greenland in times of crisis to show presence.”
The statement followed Denmark’s announcement of a strengthened military footprint in Greenland, including more aircraft, ships, and soldiers. The Danish Defense Command described it as routine preparation and part of earlier Arctic security pledges.
The move coincided with Wednesday’s White House talks between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Greenland’s foreign minister, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rasmussen called the discussion constructive but noted a clear divide: “We didn’t manage to change the American position. It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”
President Trump has insisted the U.S. must acquire—not lease—Greenland for national security, mocking current defenses as “two dog sleds” and warning that Russia or China would move in otherwise. “We’re not going to let that happen,” he told reporters on Air Force One earlier this month.
Greenland’s leaders, led by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, have rejected the idea outright. “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” they stated, calling for the island’s future to be decided by its people.
In response, European NATO allies began deploying small contingents to Greenland on Thursday, with personnel from France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, and Sweden arriving to support joint exercises. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the goal is “a more permanent military presence” with rotating allied forces in 2026.
The White House said the deployments would not change President Trump’s pursuit of acquisition, while “technical talks” with Denmark continue.
Boysen noted no imminent threats from Russia, China, or others have been identified by Danish intelligence. Denmark maintains a limited permanent presence in Greenland, including the Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk and outposts like Station Nord. Capabilities are expected to grow with new conscription and NATO priorities.
