Denmark follows the problem with attention, the order on the table is clear: in the event of an invasion, you must fire without asking
If the United States decides to take Greenland through military force, the obligation to defend the Danish island will fall, at least in part, on an American.
The strange irony is the result of a recent change in NATO, which could result in an armed confrontation between member states, which would confirm the end of the Atlantic Alliance, as the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, has already advocated.
According to the German newspaper, within NATO there is already a discussion about the various scenarios that are on the table.
A possible military occupation of Greenland by the United States creates an imbroglio for the Atlantic Alliance, with one country attacking another.
This scenario, which was impossible until a few weeks ago – but which the Trump administration has not completely ruled out – would lead to a bizarre situation to say the least, as the defense of Greenland would, to a large extent, be in the hands of a North American admiral.
According to Die Welt, this is what is stated in a secret letter from the Supreme Allied Command dated November 2025. This same letter transfers responsibility for the defense of the Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden and Denmark – the latter which oversees Greenland – from the Brunssum Joint Force Command to Norfolk.
The same is to say that responsibility passes from the Netherlands to the United States, in accordance with the letter signed by General Alexus G. Grynkewich, who commands all NATO forces.
The Joint Force Commands, which are under the leadership of the strategic headquarters in Mons, Belgium, are responsible for planning and executing all military operations in their respective regions.
Finland, Sweden and Denmark have long wanted this transfer to Norfolk, according to several NATO officials who spoke to the German newspaper, especially because it gives them a greater and stronger connection with the United States.
This letter changed that, yes, perhaps even forgetting the issue of Greenland, which was just dormant in Donald Trump’s mind, but it already existed and was known about it.
Now, with this change already confirmed, all this means that Vice Admiral Douglas G. Perry will be responsible for defending Greenland from any attacks, including… from the United States.
Thus, if Donald Trump understands that a military invasion is the chosen way to try to annex Greenland, on NATO’s part the reaction will have to be led by a senior US military officer, who will have to conflict with his supreme commander, as it is the President of the United States who supervises US troops.
Die Welt also writes that there is already great speculation in NATO about what Douglas G. Perry’s reaction might be. However, a senior official from the Atlantic Alliance who spoke to the German newspaper has no doubts about aligning with Mette Frederiksen’s words: “If Trump escalates militarily, it will be the end of NATO. But I can’t imagine that happening.”
In any case, and in a scenario in which a military invasion actually takes place, Denmark will never have to wait for any orders to react. According to the Danish newspaper, Danish soldiers defending Greenland have orders to fire without asking for authorization.
All because of a directive from the Danish Ministry of Defense dating back to 1952, which states that the Danish military should not wait for any orders to react to an attack, namely an invasion.
