For years, Denmark has stood alongside the United States on battlefields far from home.
Danish soldiers fought and died in US-led wars, earning respect and recognition from their American allies. Now, many in Denmark feel that alliance is under threat.
Colonel Soren Knudsen dedicated his life to military service, including time as Denmark’s highest-ranking officer in Afghanistan. He endured dozens of rocket attacks and was awarded a Bronze Star by the United States. For years, he proudly displayed that medal and an American flag in his home. But that changed after recent remarks from US officials about Greenland.
After hearing US Senator JD Vance discuss the possibility of taking control of Greenland and President Trump’s repeated statements on the matter, Knudsen removed the flag and put the medal away. His voice wavered as he described the moment, saying he felt both hurt and offended.
Denmark, a longtime NATO ally, has never hesitated to support the US. It lost 44 soldiers in Afghanistan—more, relative to its population, than any other ally except the United States. Eight Danish soldiers also died in Iraq. The sacrifices were real, and now many in Denmark are questioning whether their loyalty has been taken for granted.
Trump’s remarks about Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, have reignited tensions. He first raised the idea of acquiring the island during his first term, but this week, he doubled down. While no action has been taken, the mere suggestion has unsettled Denmark, especially given the broader concerns about US-European security ties.
For Soren’s wife, Gina, an American, the shift is deeply personal. She expressed shock at hearing what she sees as threats from a country she has always loved. To her, this is not just a political strategy—it feels like a betrayal of an alliance built on shared values.
Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who also served as NATO’s Secretary General, has drawn a troubling comparison. He likened Trump’s rhetoric on Greenland to the language Russian President Vladimir Putin used before invading Ukraine. While he does not believe the US would actually seize Greenland by force, he sees it as a wake-up call for Europe. If the US is unwilling to act as a global leader, he argues, European nations must be ready to defend themselves.
In Denmark’s capital, students gathered at a jazz club reflected on the situation. Luukas, Molly, and Clara admitted they found it frightening how easily the actions of a US president could disrupt their lives from so far away.
Not far from the royal palace in Copenhagen, a memorial honors Danish soldiers who died in recent wars. Among the names carved into the stone are those who fought alongside American forces in Afghanistan. For many Danes, those names symbolize a bond of trust with the United States—one they now fear is being tested like never before.