Denmark stops Bluetooth use in government offices after intelligence warning

Danish government agencies and police have been instructed to stop using Bluetooth-enabled devices at work following a warning from the country’s intelligence service about potential surveillance risks, according to local media.

Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (FE) reportedly issued an internal alert cautioning that wireless audio devices such as Bluetooth headphones, earbuds, and speakers could be exploited for eavesdropping. The memo, circulated late last week and cited by the outlet Ingeniøren, advised police and other authorities to disable Bluetooth functions on work-issued phones, tablets, and computers until further notice.

Police sources told the publication that the unusually strict guidance suggests authorities are responding to a specific incident or credible suspicion, rather than a routine cybersecurity reminder. FE, however, said it was passing on information related to known technical vulnerabilities previously identified by security researchers. Observers noted that the timing of the alert has raised questions about whether broader security concerns are driving the decision.

The warning comes against the backdrop of rising diplomatic tension between Denmark and the United States over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that acquiring the island is a strategic necessity, citing competition with Russia and China in the Arctic — claims rejected by Copenhagen, as well as by Beijing and Moscow.

Tensions escalated further last week when Trump announced new tariffs on several European NATO members, including Denmark, accusing them of obstructing his plans for Greenland. He said the levies would increase unless Washington secured what he described as a “complete and total purchase” of the territory.

European leaders have criticised the move as coercive, warning it could trigger a cycle of retaliation. The European Union is preparing countermeasures, while Danish and Greenlandic officials have reiterated that Greenland is not for sale.