Denmark Sets Up Nighttime Watch Operation to Observe President Trump Following Arctic Dispute

In a move reminiscent of TV series guards, Denmark's foreign affairs department has created a nighttime monitoring unit—far from to fend off fantasy threats, but to track the US president while Copenhagen is asleep.

This night monitoring starts at 5pm local time daily and concludes with a report produced at 7am, which is then circulated across government departments and concerned offices covering what was said and events that occurred.

This position is believed to have been established in the wake of the diplomatic row between Denmark and the US over the Arctic island this spring, when the US president suggested taking control of the strategic territory.

Observers point out that this initiative is among multiple instances of how Danish diplomacy and its civil service have had to adapt to the new reality of the Trump's current term.

A source familiar with the foreign office remarked, “It is fair to say that the circumstances in Greenland and the time zone gap separating Denmark and the United States were quite an important factor prompting this arrangement in the spring.”

Rather than all staff needing to promptly check their phones to catch up on updates from the US, the ministry explained it had made a coordinated approach to remain informed on the president's actions.

An expert, a ex- chief analyst at the Danish defence intelligence agency, commented that this development demonstrated, “as we have always known,” that the notion of the US as Denmark's primary ally was dead. “Alliances are built on shared principles and a common threat perception,” he said. “The president lacks both of those with Denmark and I would argue he doesn't share it with most Europeans.”

Adam White
Adam White

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