America vs. Denmark: The US and Denmark are at loggerheads over Greenland. Denmark has urged the US to back off, so Trump has prepared the military. Will war break out between the two countries?

Tensions escalate between the US and Denmark.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has stated that if the US attempts to annex Greenland, the NATO military alliance will be destroyed. In a TV interview on the night of January 5, 2026, Frederiksen stated that if the US attacks a NATO member, nothing will be left. In NATO, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

There are reports that Denmark and the United States may face off over Greenland. However, everyone knows that even in a direct contest, the United States will likely win. But...

How many hours will the war between America and Denmark last?

This war would be very easy because the US has the world's most powerful military, while Denmark is a small country. According to Global Firepower, the US has a PowerIndex score of 0.0744 (rank 1), while Denmark has a score of 0.8109 (rank 45). The Global Firepower report measures the military strength of 145 countries by PowerIndex score, where a lower score indicates greater strength.

According to experts, US air and naval power could breach Denmark's defenses within hours. If the war were concentrated in Greenland, an attack by US submarines and aircraft carriers would be swift. However, NATO rules could involve the entire alliance, prolonging the war. Hypothetically, without NATO intervention, it could end within hours or days, as Denmark's military is much smaller than the US.

What is an overview of US military strength?

According to the Global Firepower 2025 report, the US has a total population of 341.9 million. The US has a manpower of 154 million, including 124.8 million fit-for-service personnel and 444.5 million annually reaching military age. Active personnel are 1.328 million, reserves 799.9 thousand, and there is no paramilitary force. The defense budget is $89.50 billion. The geography includes 9.833 million square kilometers of land area, 19,924 kilometers of coastline, and 12,000 kilometers of shared borders. Logistics includes a labor force of 17 million, 3,533 merchant marine fleets, and 666 ports.

What is an overview of Denmark's military strength?

According to the Global Firepower 2025 report, Denmark has a total population of 5.973 million. Its current manpower is 2.628 million, including 2.126 million fit-for-service personnel and 77,651 individuals reaching military age annually. Active personnel include 20,000, reserves 12,000, and paramilitary 51,000. Its defense budget is $722 million. Its geography includes 43,094 square kilometers of land area, 7,314 kilometers of coastline, and only 140 kilometers of shared borders. Logistics includes a 3.18 million labor force, 715 merchant marine fleets, and 69 ports.

What and how many weapons do America and Denmark have?

• America's airpower is extremely strong: The United States possesses a total of 13,043 aircraft, including 1,790 fighter jets, 889 attack aircraft, 918 transport planes, 2,647 trainers, 647 special mission aircraft, 605 tankers, and 5,843 helicopters (including 1,020 attack helicopters). The land forces have 4,640 tanks, 391,963 armored vehicles, 671 self-propelled artillery, 1,212 towed artillery, and 641 MLRS rocket systems. The naval forces have 440 ships, including 11 aircraft carriers, 9 helicopter carriers, 81 destroyers, 26 corvettes, 70 submarines, and 8 mine warfare ships. The readiness rate is approximately 75%.
• Denmark's airpower is weak: Denmark has a total of 117 aircraft, including 31 fighter jets, 4 attack aircraft, 4 transport planes, 41 trainers, and 3 special mission aircraft. Denmark does not have any tankers or attack helicopters, although it does have 34 helicopters. Its land forces include 44 tanks, 3,856 armored vehicles, 19 self-propelled artillery, and 8 MLRS rocket systems. Its naval forces have 50 ships (121,000 tons of tonnage), including no aircraft carriers, helicopter carriers, destroyers, or submarines. It also has 9 frigates, 9 offshore patrol vessels, and 6 mine warfare ships.

America is more powerful than Denmark in every field

In terms of manpower, the US active force is 66 times that of Denmark. In terms of airpower, the US has 111 times more aircraft and eight times more ships in its naval forces. In terms of land forces, the US has 105 times more tanks. The US defense budget is 124 times larger than Denmark's.

Global Firepower's PowerIndex clearly shows that the United States (score 0.0744) is far ahead of Denmark (0.8109). America's geopolitical reach, technology, and resources make it the winner.

Can a war situation arise between the two countries?

Both are NATO members, so in the event of war, the entire alliance (29 countries) could be involved, opposing the US. The Global Firepower report lists Denmark as a European Union member, which could provide additional support. However, hypothetically, if fought alone, the US would easily win due to its nuclear capabilities and logistics. Such a war could destabilize the world.

However, experts believe that the idea of ​​a war between the US and Denmark is completely hypothetical. Both countries are NATO members, making such a scenario virtually impossible.