Denmark Establishes Nighttime Watch System to Observe President Trump After Arctic Row
In a move inspired by fictional guards, the Danish foreign affairs department has initiated a night watch team—far from guarding against fantasy foes, but to monitor the US president while Copenhagen is asleep.
The night watch starts at 5 p.m. in Denmark daily and concludes with a report compiled at 7am, which is then distributed across the Danish government and concerned agencies covering statements made and events that occurred.
The role is understood to have been established following the diplomatic dispute involving Copenhagen and the US regarding Greenland this spring, when the American leader threatened acquiring control of the strategic island.
Analysts note that this initiative is one of multiple examples of how Danish diplomacy and its civil service have had to adapt to the changed landscape of the Trump's current term.
An insider familiar with the ministry remarked, “It is fair to say that the situation in the region and the time difference separating Copenhagen and the US were quite an important reason prompting this arrangement during the earlier months.”
Instead of all staff needing to immediately reach for their devices to catch up on updates from the United States, the foreign office said it had undertaken a collective effort to remain informed on Trump activities.
Jacob Kaarsbo, a former senior analyst at the defense intelligence service, stated that this move showed, “as we have always known,” that the notion of the United States as Denmark's largest and most important partner was dead. “Partnerships are founded on common values and a mutual view of threats,” he added. “The president shares neither of those with Denmark and it can be said he doesn't share it with the majority of Europe.”