The Danish Defense Intelligence Service, one of the two key espionage agencies in the Nordic nation, said that the US is prioritising its own interests and “now using its economic and technological strength as a tool of power, also toward allies and partners”
Denmark’s spy agency has designated the US, along with Russia and China, as countries that pose a potential security risk. This is the first time the Nordic country has taken such a step, as a rift with one of its closest allies grows over Greenland.
The Danish Defense Intelligence Service, one of the two key espionage agencies in the Nordic nation, said that the US is prioritising its own interests and “now using its economic and technological strength as a tool of power, also toward allies and partners.”
The 2025 intelligence outlook report was published on Wednesday and highlighted Washington’s growing interests in Greenland, a territory of the Danish kingdom that US President Donald Trump wants to buy.
“The United States uses economic power, including threats of high tariffs, to enforce its will, and no longer rules out the use of military force, even against allies,” the report said.
Russia, China top list
Russia and China remain the most significant security concerns, the agency emphasised, warning that the threat landscape facing Denmark has “become more serious.” According to the assessment, growing doubts about the United States’ long-term commitment as Europe’s primary security guarantor are creating strategic openings that Russia may try to exploit. This uncertainty, it said, is likely to embolden Moscow to escalate its hybrid operations against NATO, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, political interference and other pressure tactics aimed at weakening the alliance.
At the same time, the agency noted that China continues to challenge Western influence through a combination of economic leverage, technological expansion and military assertiveness. Beijing’s efforts to increase its global footprint, particularly in critical infrastructure and strategic industries, pose ongoing risks to European resilience. Together, these developments reflect a geopolitical environment in which Denmark must prepare for more persistent, multifaceted pressure from both powers.
The US-Denmark rift
Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory rich in minerals and strategically located in the Arctic, has been a focal point of U.S. interest since U.S. President Donald Trump expressed ambitions to acquire the territory, citing national and international security concerns.
His proposal has been firmly rejected in both Copenhagen and Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, which holds the right to declare independence from Denmark through a referendum.
While Trump has also since expressed respect for Greenland’s right to determine its own future, his comments about potentially taking the territory by force have fuelled uncertainty among its 57,000 inhabitants.
With inputs from agencies
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