Denmark’s military drew up contingency plans to destroy key airfields in Greenland if President Donald Trump made good on threats to seize the Arctic territory, according to a report Friday in The New York Times.
Citing two European officials familiar with the discussions, the outlet reported that Danish soldiers deployed to Greenland in January, equipped with explosives, live ammunition, and blood supplies as Trump’s rhetoric against the remote island escalated. The preparations were aimed at disabling runways and slowing any potential U.S. advances, the Times reported.
“The soldiers never actually did anything to the airfields,” according to the Times’ report on Friday. “But Denmark’s consideration of such a scenario shows just how unnerved the Scandinavian country was in January as President Trump escalated threats to take over Greenland, a gigantic Arctic island that has been part of the Danish kingdom for more than 300 years.”
Denmark’s public broadcaster DR first reported details of the plans, revealing that the military exercise involving allies – including France, Germany, Britain, and Norway – was partly intended to signal unity against Trump’s threats.
The planning was not unusual given the stakes,
“Militaries will naturally think: ‘OK, what’s the worst that can happen?’” Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, told the outlet. “So you start with the runways and you prepare for combat. Well, blood banks. Live ammunition. There you go,” he added.
Trump eventually softened his tone on Greenland and later invaded Iran alongside Israel, the Times pointed out. U.S. officials have said there were no active American war plans for the island.
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