United States President Donald Trump is sending a military aircraft to Greenland as the US tensions with European partners rise over the question of who should control the island territory with access to the Arctic region.
The US will deploy the aircraft at the Pituffik Space Base, as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Monday (January 19, 2026) that the arrival of the aircraft is expected soon.
What were the US plans for aircraft deployment in Greenland?
The deployment of the aircraft at Greenland’s base, formerly called the Thule Air Force Base, was part of an earlier planned military activity to support the regular operations there to defend North America from Russia and other powers inimical to the US.
NORAD said the aim was to boost its existing defence capabilities at the Pituffik and to build on the cooperation with Canada and Denmark, which has administrative control over Greenland at present.
Was NORAD talking to all sides on the Greenland deployment?
NORAD has been coordinating with Denmark and Greenland, and has kept both Copenhagen and Nuuk of its plans to deploy the military aircraft at Pituffik, it said.
“All supporting forces are operating with the requisite diplomatic clearances,” NORAD said. The aircraft would support sustained and dispersed operations across its three regions: Alaska, Canada, and the continental United States, it added.
A key American military station and communication centre, Pituffik Space Base in the northwestern part of Greenland, hosts a missile warning system critical for North American defence.
What has Denmark done in response to US actions?
The American plans come as Danes stepped up their own military presence on Greenland. International media outlets reported that Danish troops were carried by several military cargo aircraft along with their equipment to Greenland on Monday (January 19) to add strength to the 200 soldiers already posted there.
Nuuk and Kangerlussuag have seen a large number of Danish troops being posted there, along with the country’s army chief, following a multilateral military exercise by these forces over the weekend.
The new deployments by the US and Denmark come against the backdrop of the rising tensions between the Americans and Europeans after Trump did not reject the option of military action to take control of Greenland if the US claim to control the Arctic island was not acceded to.
Why has Trump insisted on Greenland’s control?
Trump has argued in recent days that Greenland’s control should be in the hands of the Americans to protect the security of North America, citing threats from arch-rivals Russia and China in the region.
European leaders have sharply reacted to Trump’s remarks, with Germany and France calling for a clear European response to Washington for the threat to impose tariffs on nations opposed to the US plans to take control of Greenland.
They have also urged caution and de-escalation in the current tensions between the two sides, while the European Union top brass warned of retaliatory measures if the US followed through with its tariff threats.
What were NATO and Denmark’s views on the US military presence?
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held a meeting with the Danish Defence Minister to discuss the criticality of the Arctic and Greenland’s role in the collective security of the region. Rutte also referred to Denmark’s efforts and investment to boost defence capabilities in the region.
Denmark, however, was ready for open talks over the increased US military presence in Greenland, but rejected any transfer of control of the Arctic island territory to Washington.