In response to US President Donald Trump's assertions of sole protective authority over Greenland and threats to acquire it, the European Union possesses several legal avenues for deploying troops to the semi-autonomous territory. These include the EU's Rapid Deployment Capacity, operational since May 2025 with up to 5,000 troops for conflict prevention and stabilization, and military missions under the Common Security and Defence Policy, similar to an ongoing operation in the Red Sea. Despite these options, an EU deployment is considered unlikely due to the requirement for unanimous member state approval and the potential to provoke Washington. Instead, Denmark has invited NATO allies for a reconnaissance mission, a move seen by some experts as more effective in deterring adversaries like Russia and China while avoiding EU-US escalation.