Denmark has decided to send military conscripts to Greenland as part of its broader effort to strengthen the island’s defenses, which Donald Trump has been aggressively claiming for the United States.

Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus confirmed that the conscripts will serve alongside career military personnel and will take part fully in all missions, in response to a parliamentary question on the matter.

The issue had surfaced in the spring, when Danish broadcaster TV2 reported that the military was planning to deploy conscripts to Greenland beginning in September, bolstering its military presence in the face of American pressure.

In 2025, US Vice President JD Vance had criticized Denmark for failing to adequately look after the island’s security, while in early 2026 Trump refused to rule out military action to take control of Greenland, though he later walked back that statement.

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Denmark extended its military service period to 11 months and opened it to women as well. As Bruus explained, the longer service duration allows conscripts to be trained to an operational standard. In Greenland, however, they will take on duties that do not require long-term specialization. The minister did not specify when the conscripts would arrive, how many would be deployed, or exactly what missions they would carry out.