List of ministers of defence (Denmark)

This is a list of all Danish ministers of defence.

The current office was established in 1905, merging the two previous positions of War Minister (for army matters) and Navy Minister.

List of ministers of defence (1905–present)

Christian IX (1863–1906)

No.	Portrait	Name (born–died)	Term of office			Political party	Cabinet	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Christensen, Jens Christian Jens Christian Christensen (1856–1930)	5 September 1905	12 October 1908	3 years, 37 days	Venstre Reform	Christensen I–II

Frederick VIII (1906–1912)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Political party	Cabinet	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
2		Neergaard, Niels Thomasius Niels Thomasius Neergaard (1854–1936)	12 October 1908	16 September 1909	339 days	Moderate Venstre	Neergaard
(1)		Christensen, Jens Christian Jens Christian Christensen (1856–1930)	16 September 1909	18 October 1909	32 days	Venstre Reform	Holstein-Ledreborg
3		Holstein-Ledreborg, Ludvig Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg (1839–1912)	18 October 1909	28 October 1909	10 days	Independent	Holstein-Ledreborg

Christian X (1912–1947)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Political party	Cabinet	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
4		Krabbe, Christopher Christopher Krabbe  [ da ] (1833–1913)	28 October 1909	5 July 1910	250 days	Social Liberals	Zahle I
5		Berntsen, Klaus Klaus Berntsen (1844–1927)	5 July 1910	21 June 1913	2 years, 351 days	Moderate Venstre	Berntsen
6		Munch, Peter Rochegune Peter Rochegune Munch (1870–1948)	21 June 1913	30 March 1920	6 years, 283 days	Social Liberals	Zahle II
7		Konow, Henri Henri Konow (1862–1939)	30 March 1920	5 April 1920	6 days	Independent	Liebe
8		Friis, Michael Pedersen Michael Pedersen Friis (1857–1944)	5 April 1920	5 May 1920	30 days	Independent	Friis
9		Berntsen, Klaus Klaus Berntsen (1844–1927)	5 May 1920	9 October 1922	2 years, 157 days	Venstre	Neergaard II
10		Brorsen, Søren Søren Brorsen (1875–1961)	9 October 1922	23 April 1924	1 year, 197 days	Venstre	Neergaard III
11		Rasmussen, Laust Laust Rasmussen  [ da ] (1862–1941)	23 April 1924	14 December 1926	2 years, 235 days	Social Democrats	Stauning I
(10)		Brorsen, Søren Søren Brorsen (1875–1961)	14 December 1926	30 April 1929	5 years, 7 days	Venstre	Madsen-Mygdal
(11)		Rasmussen, Laust Laust Rasmussen  [ da ] (1862–1941)	30 April 1929	24 November 1932	3 years, 208 days	Social Democrats	Stauning II
12		Hansen, Hans Peter Hans Peter Hansen (1872–1953)	24 November 1932	31 May 1933	188 days	Social Democrats	Stauning II
13		Stauning, Thorvald Thorvald Stauning (1873–1942)	31 May 1933	4 November 1935	2 years, 157 days	Social Democrats	Stauning II
14		Andersen, Alsing Alsing Andersen (1893–1962)	4 November 1935	10 April 1940	4 years, 158 days	Social Democrats	Stauning III–IV–V
None (10 April 1940 – 8 July 1940) (Alsing Emanuel Andersen)
None (8 July 1940 – 4 May 1942) (Søren Brorsen)
(10)		Brorsen, Søren Søren Brorsen (1875–1961)	4 May 1942	29 August 1943	1 year, 117 days	Venstre	Stauning VI Buhl I Scavenius
None (29 August 1943 – 5 May 1945) (Søren Brorsen)
15		Kraft, Ole Bjørn Ole Bjørn Kraft (1893–1980)	5 May 1945	7 November 1945	186 days	Conservatives	Buhl II
16		Petersen, Harald Harald Petersen (1893–1970)	7 November 1945	13 November 1947	2 years, 6 days	Venstre	Kristensen

Frederick IX (1947–1972)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Political party	Cabinet	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
17		Hansen, Hans Rasmus Hans Rasmus Hansen (1896–1971)	13 November 1947	30 October 1950	3 years, 17 days	Social Democrats	Hedtoft I–II
(16)		Petersen, Harald Harald Petersen (1893–1970)	30 October 1950	30 September 1953	2 years, 335 days	Venstre	Eriksen
(17)		Hansen, Hans RasmusHans Rasmus Hansen (1896–1971)	30 September 1953	25 May 1956	2 years, 238 days	Social Democrats	Hedtoft III Hansen I
18		Hansen, Poul Poul Hansen (1913–1966)	25 May 1956	15 November 1962	6 years, 174 days	Social Democrats	Hansen I Kampmann I Krag I
19		Hansen, Poul Victor Gram (1910–1969)	15 November 1962	2 February 1968	5 years, 79 days	Social Democrats	Krag I–II
20		Ninn-Hansen, Erik Erik Ninn-Hansen (1922–2014)	2 February 1968	17 March 1971	3 years, 43 days	Conservatives	Baunsgaard
21		Ninn-Hansen, Erik Knud Østergaard  [ da ] (1922–1993)	17 March 1971	11 October 1971	208 days	Conservatives	Baunsgaard
22		Olesen, Kjeld Kjeld Olesen (1932–2024)	11 October 1971	27 September 1973	1 year, 351 days	Social Democrats	Krag I Jørgensen I

Margrethe II (1972–present)

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Political party	Cabinet	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
23		Møller, Orla Orla Møller (1916–1979)	27 September 1973	19 December 1973	83 days	Social Democrats	Jørgensen I
24		Brøndum, Erling Erling Brøndum (1930–2017)	19 December 1973	13 February 1975	1 year, 56 days	Venstre	Hartling
(23)		Møller, Orla Orla Møller (1916–1979)	13 February 1975	1 October 1977	2 years, 230 days	Social Democrats	Jørgensen II
25		Søgaard, Poul Poul Søgaard (1923–2016)	1 October 1977	10 September 1982	4 years, 344 days	Social Democrats	Jørgensen II–III–IV–V
26		Engell, Hans Hans Engell (born 1948)	10 September 1982	10 September 1987	5 years, 0 days	Conservatives	Schlüter I
27		Collet, Bernt Johan Bernt Johan Collet (born 1941)	10 September 1987	3 June 1988	267 days	Conservatives	Schlüter II
28		Enggaard, Knud Knud Enggaard (1929–2024)	3 June 1988	25 January 1993	4 years, 236 days	Venstre	Schlüter III–Schlüter IV
29		Hækkerup, Hans Hans Hækkerup (1945–2013)	25 January 1993	21 December 2000	7 years, 331 days	Social Democrats	P. N. Rasmussen I–II–III–IV
30		Trøjborg, Jan Jan Trøjborg (1955–2012)	21 December 2000	27 November 2001	341 days	Social Democrats	P. N. Rasmussen IV
31		Jensby, Svend Aage Svend Aage Jensby (born 1940)	27 November 2001	24 April 2004	2 years, 149 days	Venstre	A. F. Rasmussen I
32		Gade, Søren Søren Gade (born 1963)	24 April 2004	23 February 2010	5 years, 305 days	Venstre	A. F. Rasmussen I–II–III L. L. Rasmussen I
33		Bech, Gitte Lillelund Gitte Lillelund Bech (born 1969)	23 February 2010	3 October 2011	1 year, 222 days	Venstre	L. L. Rasmussen I
34		Hækkerup, Nick Nick Hækkerup (born 1968)	3 October 2011	9 August 2013	1 year, 310 days	Social Democrats	Thorning-Schmidt I
35		Wammen, Nicolai Nicolai Wammen (born 1971)	9 August 2013	28 June 2015	1 year, 323 days	Social Democrats	Thorning-Schmidt I–II
36		Holst, Carl Carl Holst (born 1970)	28 June 2015	30 September 2015	94 days	Venstre	L. L. Rasmussen II
37		Christensen, Peter Peter Christensen (1975–2025)	30 September 2015	28 November 2016	1 year, 59 days	Venstre	L. L. Rasmussen II
38		Frederiksen, Claus Hjort Claus Hjort Frederiksen (born 1947)	28 November 2016	27 June 2019	2 years, 211 days	Venstre	L. L. Rasmussen III
39		Bramsen, Trine Trine Bramsen (born 1981)	27 June 2019	4 February 2022	2 years, 222 days	Social Democrats	Frederiksen I
40		Morten Bødskov (born 1970)	4 February 2022	15 December 2022	314 days	Social Democrats	Frederiksen I
41		Jakob Ellemann-Jensen (born 1973)	15 December 2022	6 February 2023	53 days	Venstre	Frederiksen II	[1]
–		Troels Lund Poulsen (born 1976) Acting	6 February 2023	1 August 2023	176 days	Venstre	Frederiksen II	[1]
41		Jakob Ellemann-Jensen (born 1973)	1 august 2022	22 August 2023	21 days	Venstre	Frederiksen II	[1]
42		Troels Lund Poulsen (born 1976)	22 August 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 168 days	Venstre	Frederiksen II	[2]

References

1. Bohr, Jakob Kjøgx (6 February 2023). "Jakob Ellemann-Jensen sygemeldt på ubestemt tid". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). TV2. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
2. Haugaard, Mie (22 August 2023). "Jakob Ellemann og Troels Lund Poulsen bytter roller i regeringen". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 22 August 2023.