Denmark Begins Deploying Conscripts to Greenland Amid US Interest

The Danish government has announced that it will begin deploying military conscripts to Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory that has been targeted by US President Donald Trump.

“Conscripts will be deployed alongside professional soldiers and will participate fully in all missions,” stated Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus in response to parliamentary questions, as reported by AFP on Wednesday (24/06/2026).

The Danish television station, TV2, previously reported that the military was considering the deployment of conscripts to Greenland, where the military has been strengthening its presence in response to pressure from the United States.

US Vice President JD Vance accused Denmark last year of neglecting the security of its vast Arctic territory.

Tensions have escalated around Greenland after Trump threatened to annex the Danish territory to protect US security. However, Trump subsequently eased his threat, announcing that he had reached a “framework” agreement regarding Greenland with the NATO Secretary General, without providing specific details.

Last year, Denmark extended the period of compulsory military service to 11 months and opened opportunities for women in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. With the longer period of service, “conscripts are trained to be able to participate in the execution of armed forces missions,” said Bruast.

In Greenland, “conscripts will be assigned to tasks that do not require more extensive specialised training,” he added. However, he did not specify when the conscripts would begin arriving or how many would be stationed in Greenland.