A Danish officer operates a U.S. drone during an exercise at Bemowo Piskie, Poland, Nov. 18, 2025. Some 60% of Danes now consider the United States an adversary, while just 17% still view it as an ally, according to a recent survey done for Denmark’s public broadcaster DR. (Eric Allen/U.S. Army)
Danish perceptions of the relationship with the United States have taken a stark downturn in the wake of President Donald Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland, a new survey shows.
Some 60% of Danes now consider the United States an adversary, while just 17% still view it as an ally, according to a poll done on behalf of Denmark’s public broadcaster DR. Among the remainder, 20% were undecided and 3% declined to answer.
Between Jan. 21 and Jan. 27, Epinion surveyed more than 1,000 Danish residents across demographic and political groups, and DR reported the shift in attitudes was consistent across age, gender and regional cohorts.
Copenhagen has historically been one of Washington’s closest partners in Europe, sending troops to Afghanistan alongside U.S. forces and hosting American military assets.
But recent friction over threats of a U.S. takeover of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, has upended relations, both in Denmark and across NATO.
Trump repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, triggering protests and political pushback in Denmark.
While Trump later walked back references to possibly overtaking the Arctic island with military force, the episode appears to have left lasting unease.
Despite the shift in public sentiment, Denmark’s government continues to emphasize the importance of its relationship with the United States.
U.S. and Danish troops are scheduled to train together in Norway during next month’s Cold Response exercise, which focuses on Arctic warfare.
The findings of the Danish poll come amid broader signs of skepticism toward U.S. leadership in Europe. Gallup polling published last month found median approval of U.S. leadership among European Union residents at about 20%.
In Germany, home to one of the largest concentrations of U.S. troops overseas, roughly three-quarters of respondents in a recent ARD-Deutschlandtrend survey said the U.S. under Trump is not a trustworthy partner.
Only about 15% of respondents said they still consider America reliable.
