U.S. warplanes from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) are set to arrive in Greenland for planned exercises, as announced on Tuesday (January 20). These activities, coordinated with Denmark, aim to bolster defense cooperation among the United States, Canada, and Denmark. The aircraft will operate from Pituffik Space Base, a U.S. military installation in Greenland, and support routine operations to defend North America.
The deployment comes amid escalating tensions over President Donald Trump‘s interest in acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Trump has linked his push for control of Greenland to strategic concerns, citing its Arctic location and mineral resources. Despite this, both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any proposal to transfer the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty.
President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on eight NATO nations, including Denmark, unless Greenland is ceded to the U.S. The tariffs could increase from 10% to 25% by June if a deal is not reached. European nations, including Denmark, have responded by increasing their military presence in Greenland, with Denmark sending more troops to the island.
The tensions have strained U.S. relations with NATO allies, prompting Denmark to request a NATO mission to Greenland. The situation has been further complicated by Trump’s comments linking his interest in Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
The deployment of U.S. aircraft to Greenland is part of long-planned NORAD activities, according to the command, and is not directly related to the current political tensions. However, the timing of the exercises has drawn attention due to the ongoing dispute over Greenland’s sovereignty.
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