Denmark Sets Up Nighttime Monitoring System to Observe President Trump Following Arctic Dispute
In a move reminiscent of TV series watches, Denmark's foreign affairs department has initiated a night watch team—not to fend off fantasy foes, but to track Donald Trump while Copenhagen is asleep.
The night watch begins at 5 p.m. in Denmark daily and concludes with a report produced at 7 a.m., which is then circulated throughout government departments and concerned agencies detailing what was said and events that occurred.
This position is believed to have been introduced in the wake of the diplomatic dispute involving Denmark and the US over the Arctic island this spring, when the US president threatened acquiring control of the strategic island.
Observers note that this measure is among several examples of how Denmark's foreign policy and its government administration have had to adapt to the new reality of the second Trump administration.
An insider close to the ministry stated, “It's accurate to say that the circumstances in Greenland and the time zone gap between Copenhagen and the United States were a significant factor prompting this system in the earlier months.”
Instead of everybody having to promptly reach for their devices to catch up on updates from the US, the ministry explained it had undertaken a collective effort to remain informed on Trump activities.
An expert, a former chief analyst at the defense intelligence service, commented that this move showed, “as long understood,” that the notion of the United States as Denmark’s largest and most important ally was no longer valid. “Alliances are founded on shared principles and a mutual view of threats,” he added. “The president lacks both of those with Denmark and I would argue he doesn't share it with the majority of Europe.”