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Taking action reminiscent of fictional watches, the Danish foreign affairs department has created a nighttime monitoring unit—not to fend off mythical threats, but to monitor the US president as Denmark sleeps.

The night watch starts at 5pm local time each day and ends with a report compiled at 7 a.m., which is then circulated across government departments and concerned offices covering what was said and developments that occurred.

This position is believed to have been established following the bilateral row involving Denmark and the US over Greenland earlier this year, when the US president suggested acquiring control of the resource-rich island.

Observers note that this initiative is one of multiple examples of how Danish diplomacy and its civil service have had to adapt to the new reality of the Trump's current term.

A source close to the ministry stated, “It is fair to say that the situation in Greenland and the time difference between Copenhagen and the US were a significant factor prompting this system in the spring.”

Rather than everybody needing to promptly reach for their devices to stay informed on updates from the US, the ministry said it had undertaken a coordinated approach to remain informed on Trump activities.

An expert, a ex- chief analyst at the Danish defence intelligence agency, commented that this move demonstrated, “as we have always known,” that the notion of the United States as Denmark's primary ally was no longer valid. “Partnerships are built on shared principles and a common threat perception,” he said. “Trump lacks both of those with us and it can be said he lacks it with the majority of Europe.”