US sought information on Danish military facilities in Greenland in 2025

The United States made several attempts last year to obtain information from Danish military officials about facilities in Greenland, according to documents seen by the Danish newspaper Berlingske.

Citing records from Denmark’s armed forces and Ministry of Defence, the paper reports that an unnamed US military official contacted Danish commanders in Greenland twice by email in January 2025.

The requests reportedly focused on the island’s infrastructure, including ports, airports, communications systems and radar installations.

In an initial email sent on January 16, the US official asked for “information” and relevant points of contact. Danish authorities replied the following day, directing the inquiry to liaison officer Lars H. Madsen, who was based at the US Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland. 

He was described in the correspondence as “an excellent source of information on everything related to Greenland”. It remains unclear whether Madsen shared any details, Berlingske said.

A further request was sent on January 22, in which the US official wrote: “I am looking for some basic information.” Part of the justification for the request was redacted, with the document stating only that the United States was “working on…”.

According to the newspaper, the American official bypassed established diplomatic and defence channels, contacting military counterparts in Greenland directly rather than going through Denmark’s Ministry of Defence or the US State Department.

The correspondence suggests Danish authorities responded in a friendly but cautious manner. The Ministry of Defence briefed senior military officials on what it described as the “current strategic situation regarding Greenland” and sought additional information to assess the US requests. Response times indicated a sense of urgency, with the first reply reportedly sent half an hour before the internal deadline. However, one heavily redacted email makes it difficult to determine the full substance of the exchange.

Tensions over Greenland intensified earlier this month after US President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for the United States to take control of the island, prompting concern among European allies and within Nato.