Denmark summons top US diplomat over reports of influence operations in Greenland
Denmark's Foreign Ministry summoned the United States charge d'affaires in Copenhagen on Aug. 27 over reports that U.S. citizens were running covert influence campaign in Greenland.
Since assuming office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Greenland, self-governing island part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The territory is currently home to a U.S. military base and vast reserves of mineral wealth, as well as 57,000 Danish citizens.
Danish public broadcaster DR, citing its sources, reported that the Danish government believes at least three U.S. citizens with ties to the Trump administration have been attempting to influence opinion through covert operations on the island to promote secession from Denmark.
In response to the incident, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a statement acknowledging "that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark, adding that "any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable."
Danish intelligence agencies warned that the territory was being targeted by "various kinds of influence campaigns" that were attempting to "create discord in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland."
No additional information on the incident is publicly known. DR did not name the alleged operatives.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously slammed the U.S. for its repeated threats to take over Greenland.
"You cannot annex another country... Not even with an argument about international security," Frederiksen said on April 3 in response to inflammatory remarks from Trump and the White House administration threatening to assume control of the territory.
On March 29, Trump said there is a "good possibility" the U.S. could annex Greenland without using military force, but did not rule it out. "We'll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%," Trump said.
The U.S. Senate has yet to confirm a U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, with the U.S. mission in Copenhagen currently being led by the U.S. charge d'affaires Mark Stroh.
