Thousands of citizens in Norway have received a letter from the military warning them that their homes could be seized in the event of conflict.
The news comes as tensions with the United States have raised alarm bells. International media reports that there will be no immediate effects for the time being, but approximately 13,500 seizure notices will be issued throughout the year.
"The purpose of requisitions is to ensure that, in a war situation, the armed forces have access to the resources necessary for the defense of the country," the army said in a statement. Houses, vehicles, ships and machinery can be requisitioned in the event of war.
For now, the letters have no concrete impact, other than informing owners that the armed forces could seize their property in the event of war. The request is valid for one year, and roughly two-thirds of the letters sent in 2026 were renewals from previous years.
The news comes amid heightened tensions over Greenland, over which Trump appears poised to start a trade war with Europe after eight countries sent troops to the Arctic island. Responding to a request for dialogue from Norway, one of the countries involved, Trump wrote to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that he no longer needed to think “only about peace” after the Oslo Nobel Committee rejected the Peace Prize. “The importance of being prepared for crises and war has increased significantly in recent years,” said Anders Jernberg, head of logistics for the Norwegian military.