NUUK, Greenland: In deep winter January, GP Dupitas would turn his eyes towards the dark skies, as if waiting to see the silhouette of a military aircraft high above.At a time when the sun barely lifts above the horizon, Greenland was on edge.Dupitas, 42, a nurse from the Philippines working at the hospital in the capital city Nuuk, was nervous too. He had called Greenland home for more than a decade. Suddenly, it did not feel as safe as before.“Everybody's looking up to see if there's some Hercules (aircraft) coming. It's like we're in an invasion,” Dupitas recalled.
After returning to power for a second term in office in January 2025, United States President Donald Trump had again insisted that Greenland should be under American control, leaving military options on the table to acquire the territory.Early 2026 saw an unprecedented military build up in Greenland in response.Denmark announced Operation Arctic Endurance and deployed an additional 200 troops, along with preparing surveillance and defence assets, with the promise of protecting Greenland during heightened international tension.French President Emmanuel Macron also announced additional military deployments and committed to opening a consulate in Nuuk as a visible signal of support for Greenland.
