The United States strikes Denmark at the heart of its digital system!
Digital Embargo: A Fictional Crisis Unveils European Vulnerabilities
Brussels, July 4, 2025 – In a fictional dispatch from our special correspondent, Jean Pacet-Démayeur, a hypothetical decision has sent shockwaves through international relations. Amid escalating tensions, a fictional President Trump announced an Executive Order, effective immediately, prohibiting American tech companies from providing digital products and services to Denmark, a member of the European Union. This unprecedented retaliatory measure stems from a major diplomatic conflict triggered by Trump’s earlier announcement of plans to annex Greenland, potentially by force.
An Annexation Ignites International Relations
The hypothetical crisis began six months prior when Trump declared his intention to annex Greenland, citing its geostrategic importance due to its proximity to critical maritime routes and its rich reserves of strategic raw materials. This fictional scenario echoes rumors from Trump’s first term regarding the potential purchase of Greenland from Denmark.
Despite firm protests from the European Union and calls for international dialogue, the fictional President Trump justified his decision based on strategic and national security imperatives. In response, Denmark hypothetically appealed to the United Nations Security Council, urging global diplomatic mobilization.
A Digital Embargo with Far-Reaching Consequences
In this fictional escalation, the White House announced a ban on all American tech companies from providing services to Denmark. This includes giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple, whose infrastructure, software, and platforms are pervasive in the Danish economy. The United States would supposedly lift the digital embargo when Denmark agrees to sell Greenland at a reasonable price, consistent with an offer made in April 2025.
The Danish Minister of Economy hypothetically labeled the decision a “declaration of economic war,” warning of “imminent paralysis.” The Danish economy relies heavily on American cloud services, while its public administration and education system depend on tools like Microsoft 365. Several Danish professional organizations have hypothetically called on the Government to negotiate with the United States to avert economic collapse.
The fictional social consequences are already being felt: public administrations are at a standstill, thousands of businesses are cut off from management tools, digital banking services are unavailable, and citizens can no longer access everyday services like messaging apps, social networks, or streaming platforms. Hospitals are concerned about access to patient data systems, mostly hosted on American servers.
European Vulnerability Exposed
This fictional crisis exposes the systemic digital dependencies of European states and their economies on American technologies. While Denmark is the only country affected in this scenario, other European states fear similar retaliatory measures. The European Commission, through its President, stated that “the European Union deplores such attacks against the economic and digital integrity of one of its members.” It called for dialogue between the United States and Denmark and for de-escalation. It also proposed technical support to Denmark and suggested accelerating Union investment strategies in European alternatives, implementing recommendations from a report by Mario Draghi, the former president of the European Central Bank.
Possible Responses from Denmark
Faced with this unprecedented situation, the Danish government is attempting to react. Emergency negotiations have been opened with non-American actors to ensure a transition to alternative systems, but such migration efforts will take months, even years. At the same time, the country is considering retaliatory measures, such as blocking American assets on its territory, but its relatively small economic weight limits its room for maneuver.
In the meantime, Danish citizens are preparing to live through an unprecedented crisis. Some experts warn that this situation could lead to a radicalization of public opinion against the United States, strengthening political parties in favor of closer ties with other world powers.
A Lasting Fracture?
As the situation seems to worsen, many observers fear that this crisis marks a turning point in transatlantic relations. The American digital embargo could not only reshape strategic alliances like NATO but also accelerate the development of independent regional technological systems, whether in Europe or elsewhere. One thing is certain: Denmark has become, despite itself, the theater of a confrontation that could redefine the international order.
Henri d’Agrain, Délégué général du Cigref, Membre du Conseil scientifique de la SIF.
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