The historic American transatlantic ally is now perceived in Copenhagen as a “threat to national security”, as the result of a series of aggressive positions, both political and economic, inaugurated a year ago by the Trump administration and also peppered with not too veiled military threats, as in the case, which is now less talked about, of Greenland.
This outburst of feelings towards Washington, which has no historical precedent, is made explicit in the intelligence report for 2025, published yesterday by the Danish Defense Intelligence Service (Ddis).
The great powers are becoming more assertive: Russia and China in the foreground
“The world’s great powers are increasingly prioritizing their own interests and using force to achieve their goals,” the report reads, with a specific and overriding reference to Russia and China as the main nations posing challenges to Denmark and Europe.
The uncertain role of the United States in European security
But then, making the necessary distinctions, we talk about “uncertainty” about the “role of the historic NATO ally across the ocean as a power guarantor of European security”.
“The United States uses economic power, even in the form of threats of high tariffs, to impose its will and no longer excludes the use of military force even against allies”, we read, with an implicit reference also to the threats, declared by the Trumpian United States with various shades of tone, of wanting to take possession of Greenland, by hook or by crook.
The Danish military intelligence report is in perfect coherence with the changing Euro-Atlantic climate and already has a precedent: last October, the Dutch 007s declared that they had stopped sharing some intelligence information with their US counterparts, citing political interference and concerns for human rights.