Danish Foreign Minister Summons U.S. Diplomat Over Greenland Intelligence Reports
The top U.S. diplomat in Denmark was called in for a meeting by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen due to recent intelligence reports suggesting that U.S. officials were involved in covert influence operations in Greenland.
According to Danish public broadcaster DR, at least three individuals associated with the Trump administration were allegedly involved in these operations. The broadcaster referred to unnamed sources within the government and security agencies.
Rasmussen stated, “We are aware of foreign interests in Greenland and its role within the Kingdom of Denmark. It’s not surprising that we might see attempts to influence our future.” He emphasized that any interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs would be unacceptable, prompting him to request the meeting with U.S. chargé d’affaires Mark Stroh.
The Foreign Minister also reaffirmed the close and trusting relationship between Denmark and Greenland.
Earlier in his administration, Donald Trump had expressed interest in gaining authority over Greenland, which is part of Denmark. However, both Denmark and Greenland firmly stated that the island was not for sale.
Currently, the U.S. does not have an ambassador to Denmark, leaving Stroh to act as the chargé d’affaires.
Reports indicate that one individual involved in the alleged influence operation compiled a list of Greenlanders supportive of the U.S. and encouraged locals to amplify negative portrayals of the Danish government in American media. There are suspicions that the objective of these operations was to undermine the relationship between Denmark and Greenland. The Danish Security and Intelligence Service noted that, especially in the current climate, Greenland is a target for various influence campaigns.
In response to previous allegations of U.S. espionage in Greenland, PM Mette Frederiksen stated, “You cannot spy against an ally.”
As of now, attempts to reach the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen for comments have not yielded any responses.
