The Pentagon is reorganizing the military combatant command structure responsible for defending U.S. territory to include Greenland, following signals from the Trump administration that it is seeking control over Danish territory. This strategic change will shift military responsibility for Greenland from U.S. European Command (EUCOM) to U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM).
The Goal of Strengthening Security and Cooperation
The Pentagon's chief spokesman said Tuesday that the change “The Joint Force will strengthen U.S. territorial defense capabilities, contribute to a stronger defense of the Western Hemisphere, and deepen relationships with Arctic allies and partners.” stated. This step is interpreted as an effort by the United States to strengthen its defense and security stance in the region at a time when the strategic importance of the Arctic is increasing.
The revision was framed as part of a broader review of the Unified Command Plan, which divides the world into separate military units and outlines the roles and responsibilities of U.S. combatant commands. The announcement did not include any other changes to the Unified Command Plan.
Iris Ferguson, a former Pentagon official who focuses on the Arctic, said the change would mean treating Greenland as a cornerstone of the U.S. security posture in the Arctic, rather than an outpost.
European Concerns and Trump’s Greenland Claims
But Ferguson warned that the change risked alienating European allies, insisting that Denmark should not be “left on the sidelines” in the reconstruction process. European officials had been anticipating the change for weeks before Tuesday’s announcement. Given Greenland’s geographical proximity to the U.S. homeland, their concerns were less about the change itself than how the administration would announce it.
The military restructuring comes after US President Donald Trump repeatedly said that Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, should be controlled by the US. Speaking to Congress in March, Trump said: “We will succeed one way or another” he said.
The Pentagon's announcement did not indicate any intention to annex the territory, and the president did not immediately suggest such an option was possible on Tuesday, perhaps easing some Europeans' concerns.
Still, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not rule out the possibility that the U.S. could use force to take Greenland, testifying before the House of Representatives last week. “I think the American people would want the Pentagon to have a plan for everything,” Hegseth said, suggesting that the military was prepared in case the region were seized. Democrats on the committee sneered at the remarks. “I don’t think the American people voted for President Trump because they expected us to invade Greenland,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Washington), the committee’s ranking member.
