🔗 Share this article

Taking action reminiscent of fictional guards, the Danish foreign affairs department has initiated a nighttime monitoring unit—far from guarding against mythical foes, but to monitor the US president as Denmark is asleep.

This night monitoring begins at 5pm in Denmark daily and concludes with a summary produced at 7am, which is then distributed throughout government departments and concerned offices covering statements made and events that occurred.

The role is believed to have been introduced following the bilateral row involving Copenhagen and Washington regarding Greenland this spring, when the US president suggested taking control of the strategic island.

Observers note that this measure is one of multiple examples of how Danish diplomacy and its civil service have had to adapt to the new reality of the Trump's current term.

A source close to the foreign office stated, “It's accurate to say that the circumstances in the region and the time difference between Denmark and the US were a significant factor prompting this arrangement during the spring.”

Rather than all staff needing to promptly reach for their devices to catch up on updates from the US, the foreign office said it had made a coordinated approach to stay updated on the president's activities.

An expert, a former senior analyst at the defense intelligence service, stated that this development showed, “as we have always known,” that the idea of the US as Denmark’s largest and most important partner was dead. “Partnerships are founded on shared principles and a mutual view of threats,” Kaarsbo said. “The president shares neither of those with us and it can be said he doesn't share it with the majority of Europe.”