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Taking action inspired by fictional guards, the Danish foreign ministry has created a night watch unit—not to fend off fantasy threats, but to monitor the US president while Copenhagen sleeps.

This night monitoring begins at 5 p.m. local time each day and ends with a summary produced at 7 a.m., which is then distributed across the Danish government and concerned agencies covering what was said and events taking place.

The role is understood to have been introduced following the diplomatic row between Copenhagen and Washington over Greenland earlier this year, when the US president suggested acquiring control of the strategic territory.

Observers point out that this initiative is among multiple examples of how Denmark's foreign policy and its civil service have had to adjust to the changed landscape of the second Trump administration.

An insider close to the foreign office remarked, “It is fair to say that the situation in Greenland and the time difference separating Copenhagen and the United States were a significant reason introducing this system during the spring.”

Instead of everybody needing to promptly reach for their devices to stay informed on news from the United States, the ministry said it had made a coordinated approach to stay updated on the president's activities.

An expert, a ex- chief analyst at the defense intelligence service, commented that this development showed, “as long understood,” that the notion of the United States as Denmark’s primary ally was dead. “Partnerships are founded on shared principles and a mutual view of threats,” he said. “The president shares neither of those with Denmark and I would argue he lacks it with the majority of Europe.”