Denmark Sets Up Special Watch System to Track Trump Following Greenland Row
In a move reminiscent of fictional guards, the Danish foreign ministry has created a nighttime monitoring team—far from guarding against fantasy foes, but to monitor Donald Trump as Denmark is asleep.
The night watch starts at 5 p.m. local time each day and ends with a report produced at 7am, which is then distributed across the Danish government and relevant agencies covering what was said and events that occurred.
This position is believed to have been established following the bilateral dispute between Copenhagen and Washington regarding the Arctic island this spring, when the US president suggested acquiring control of the resource-rich island.
Analysts point out that this initiative is one of multiple instances of how Denmark's foreign policy and its civil service have had to adjust to the changed landscape of the Trump's current term.
An insider familiar with the foreign office remarked, “It's accurate to say that the situation in Greenland and the time zone gap separating Copenhagen and the US were a significant factor prompting this arrangement in the earlier months.”
Rather than all staff having to immediately reach for their phones to catch up on news from the United States, the ministry said it had undertaken a coordinated approach to stay updated on the president's actions.
Jacob Kaarsbo, a ex- chief analyst at the defense intelligence service, commented that this move demonstrated, “as long understood,” that the idea of the United States as Denmark's largest and most important partner was no longer valid. “Alliances are founded on common values and a mutual view of threats,” Kaarsbo added. “Trump shares neither of those with Denmark and I would argue he doesn't share it with the majority of Europe.”
