The Minister of Defence of Denmark (, ) is the politically appointed head of the Danish Ministry of Defence. The Minister of Defence is responsible for the Danish Armed Forces, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service and the Danish Emergency Management Agency.

The Minister of Defence follows the directions given by the Prime Minister of Denmark and the decisions of the Folketing. The Danish Defence Law () designates in article 9 the Minister of Defence as the supreme authority in Defence (). Under the Minister is the Chief of Defence, the senior-ranking professional military officer heading the Defence Command, who commands the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and other units not reporting directly to the Ministry of Defence.

The main responsibilities of the Minister of Defence are to prevent armed conflicts and war, to safeguard the sovereignty of Denmark and integrity of Danish territory and to promote global peace and stability. Since 2002, these responsibilities have included the political leadership of the Danish contribution to the NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The current Defence Minister is Jeppe Bruus.

History In 1905, the offices of the Minister for the Navy and the Minister of War were merged to create the current office of Defence Minister.

List of officeholders Christian IX (1863–1906) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 1 Jens Christian Christensen 5 September 1905 12 October 1908 Venstre Reform Party Christensen I–II

Frederick VIII (1906–1912) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 2 Niels Neergaard 12 October 1908 16 September 1909 Moderate Venstre Neergaard I (1) Jens Christian Christensen 16 September 1909 18 October 1909 Venstre Reform Party Holstein-Ledreborg 3 Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg 18 October 1909 28 October 1909 Independent Holstein-Ledreborg 4 28 October 1909 5 July 1910 Social Liberal Zahle I 5 Klaus Berntsen 5 July 1910 21 June 1913 Venstre Berntsen

Christian X (1912–1947) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 6 Peter Rochegune Munch 21 June 1913 30 March 1920 Social Liberal Zahle II 7 Henri Konow 30 March 1920 5 April 1920 Independent Liebe 8 Michael Pedersen Friis 5 April 1920 5 May 1920 Independent Friis 9 Klaus Berntsen 5 May 1920 9 October 1922 Venstre Neergaard II 10 Søren Brorsen 9 October 1922 23 April 1924 Venstre Neergaard III 11 23 April 1924 14 December 1926 Social Democrats Stauning I (10) Søren Brorsen 14 December 1926 30 April 1929 Venstre Madsen-Mygdal (11) 30 April 1929 24 November 1932 Social Democrats Stauning II 12 Hans Peter Hansen 24 November 1932 31 May 1933 Social Democrats Stauning II 13 Thorvald Stauning 31 May 1933 4 November 1935 Social Democrats Stauning II 14 Alsing Andersen 4 November 1935 8 July 1940 Social Democrats Stauning III–IV–V (10) Søren Brorsen 8 July 1940 29 August 1943 Venstre Stauning VI Buhl I Scavenius No Danish government in between and . Office is assumed by the permanent secretary. 15 Ole Bjørn Kraft 5 May 1945 7 November 1945 Conservative People's Party Buhl II 16 Harald Petersen 7 November 1945 13 November 1947 Venstre Kristensen

Frederick IX (1947–1972) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 17 Hans Rasmus Hansen 13 November 1947 30 October 1950 Social Democrats Hedtoft I–II (16) Harald Petersen 30 October 1950 30 September 1953 Venstre Eriksen (17) Hans Rasmus Hansen 30 September 1953 25 May 1956 Social Democrats Hedtoft IIIHansen I 18 Poul Hansen 8 October 1958 15 November 1962 Social Democrats Hansen I–II Kampmann I–II Krag I 19 Victor Gram 15 November 1962 2 February 1968 Social Democrats Krag I–II 20 Erik Ninn-Hansen 2 February 1968 17 March 1971 Conservative People's Party Baunsgaard 21 17 March 1971 11 October 1971 Conservative People's Party Baunsgaard 37 Kjeld Olesen 11 October 1971 27 September 1973 Social Democrats Krag III Jørgensen I

Margrethe II (1972–2024) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 23 Orla Møller 27 September 1973 19 December 1973 Social Democrats Jørgensen I 24 Erling Brøndum 19 December 1973 13 February 1975 Venstre Hartling (23) Orla Møller 13 February 1975 1 October 1977 Social Democrats Jørgensen II 25 Poul Søgaard 1 October 1977 10 September 1982 Social Democrats Jørgensen II–III–IV–V 26 Hans Engell 10 September 1982 10 September 1987 Conservative People's Party Schlüter I 27 Bernt Johan Collet 10 September 1987 3 June 1988 Conservative People's Party Schlüter II 28 Knud Enggaard 3 June 1988 25 January 1993 Venstre Schlüter III–IV 29 Hans Hækkerup 25 January 1993 21 December 2000 Social Democrats P. N. Rasmussen I–II–III–IV 30 Jan Trøjborg 21 December 2000 27 November 2001 Social Democrats P. N. Rasmussen IV 31 Svend Aage Jensby 27 November 2001 24 April 2004 Venstre A. F. Rasmussen I 32 Søren Gade 24 April 2004 23 February 2010 Venstre A. F. Rasmussen I–II–III L. L. Rasmussen I 33 Gitte Lillelund Bech 23 February 2010 3 October 2011 Venstre L. L. Rasmussen I 34 Nick Hækkerup 3 October 2011 9 August 2013 Social Democrats Thorning-Schmidt I 35 Nicolai Wammen 9 August 2013 28 June 2015 Social Democrats Thorning-Schmidt I–II 36 Carl Holst 28 June 2015 30 September 2015 Venstre L. L. Rasmussen II 37 Peter Christensen 30 September 2015 28 November 2016 Venstre L. L. Rasmussen II 38 Claus Hjort Frederiksen 28 November 2016 27 June 2019 Venstre L.L. Rasmussen III 39 Trine Bramsen 27 June 2019 4 February 2022 Social Democrats Frederiksen I 40 Morten Bødskov 4 February 2022 15 December 2022 Social Democrats Frederiksen I 41 Jakob Ellemann-Jensen 15 December 2022 6 February 2023 Venstre Frederiksen II – Troels Lund Poulsen 6 February 2023 1 August 2023 Venstre Frederiksen II (41) Jakob Ellemann-Jensen 1 August 2023 22 August 2023 Venstre Frederiksen II 42 Troels Lund Poulsen 22 August 2023 3 June 2026 Venstre Frederiksen II

Frederik X (2024–present) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Took office Left office Time in office 43 Jeppe Bruus 3 June 2026 Incumbent Social Democrats Frederiksen III

See also Commander-in-chief#Denmark

Notes

References