Denmark's stern warning to US if Greenland is invaded: 'We'll shoot first, ask questions later'

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Days after the White House stated that it is considering “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, the Danish defence ministry said that soldiers have been told to shoot first and ask questions later if the United States invades Greenland.

This is in accordance with the army's rule of engagement from 1952 that requires soldiers to attack invaders without waiting for orders from higher-ups.

The ministry clarified that the rule "remains in force" when Berlingske, a Danish newspaper, asked about the status of the directive, according to a report by NDTV.

The rule was created when Nazi Germany attacked Denmark in April 1940, leading to a partial collapse of communications in the European nation, and has remained in place till date.

The clarification comes as US President Donald Trump keeps his eyes fixated on Greenland - a NATO territory - which is overseen by Denmark and has repeatedly threatened to take control of the autonomous land by force if needed. The 79-year-old has claimed that the Arctic territory is vital to the US national security due to the presence of Russian and Chinese ships.

He has said that "military force" is one of the options that the US is considering in order to achieve his goal of acquiring the Arctic island.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief's disposal."

US Vice President JD Vance had also said on Wednesday that Denmark "obviously" had not done a proper job in securing Greenland and that Trump "is willing to go as far as he has to" to defend American interests in the Arctic.

Meanwhile, Denmark has repeatedly insisted that the island is "not for sale". Earlier on Tuesday, European leaders warned Trump in a joint statement that the territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark should be respected.