Trump’s invasion of Greenland would be ‘the shortest war in the world’

We took the president-elect literally not seriously and charted out how the U.S. military would fare against Denmark — which recently boosted the island’s security by financing two dog sled patrols.

In 1951, the United States signed an agreement with Denmark pledging to protect Greenland from attack. Fast-forward 74 years, and the threat is now coming from America.

This week, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump sent shockwaves across Europe when he refused to rule out using military force to annex the world’s largest island, an autonomous territory of 57,000 people that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Trump, who also floated the idea of the U.S. taking over Canada and the Panama Canal, has long had his eye on Greenland — a strategically located island rich in minerals and oil.

While there is little question as to which country would win in a fight, Denmark might have a better chance if it turned to the lawyers. Copenhagen could ask them whether the EU is somehow required to defend Greenland; whether it could invoke NATO’s common defense provisions against an attack by the alliance’s own largest member; and what Washington’s obligations are under the 1951 treaty.

The U.S. has — by far — the world’s largest defense budget, spending $948 billion last year. Its armed forces have 1.3 million personnel — some of them currently stationed in Greenland. Denmark, for its part, last year spent $9.9 billion, has only 17,000 soldiers, and most of its heavy land-warfare equipment has been donated to Ukraine.