Denmark Establishes Nighttime Monitoring System to Observe President Trump After Greenland Row
In a move reminiscent of fictional watches, Denmark's foreign affairs department has initiated a nighttime monitoring unit—far from guarding against fantasy foes, but to monitor the US president while Copenhagen is asleep.
The night monitoring begins at 5 p.m. local time each day and ends with a summary compiled at 7am, which is then circulated throughout government departments and relevant offices covering what was said and events taking place.
The role is believed to have been introduced following the diplomatic dispute involving Denmark and Washington regarding the Arctic island this spring, when the American leader threatened acquiring control of the resource-rich territory.
Observers note that this measure is among several instances of how Denmark's foreign policy 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 remarked, “It is fair to say that the circumstances in Greenland and the time difference between Copenhagen and the United States was a significant reason introducing this arrangement in the earlier months.”
Rather than everybody having to promptly check their phones to catch up on updates from the United States, the foreign office explained it had made a coordinated approach to remain informed on the president's activities.
An expert, a former senior analyst at the defense intelligence service, stated that this development showed, “as long understood,” that the notion of the US as Denmark’s largest and most important ally was dead. “Alliances are founded on shared principles and a mutual view of threats,” Kaarsbo said. “Trump lacks both of those with us and I would argue he lacks it with the majority of Europe.”
