Denmark has summoned the United States’ top diplomat in the country, after allegations of a U.S. covert influence campaign operating in Greenland.
The Danish government has identified at least three Americans attempting to recruit Greenlanders who support U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposals to annex Greenland, Danish public broadcaster DR reported. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
“Any interference in internal affairs in the kingdom of Denmark, and Greenlandic democracy, is unacceptable,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “I note that the Americans do not clearly deny that the situation is as DR presents today. And that is of course serious.”
“We are a partner, we are an ally, and we expect that the diplomatic rules of the game apply. We expect that international law and sovereignty are something that will be respected,” said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with U.S. charge d’affaires Mark Stroh today, following a similar meeting in May after reports of U.S. espionage activity in Greenland. Stroh is currently the U.S.’ highest-ranking diplomat in Denmark, as an ambassador has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
One American involved in the alleged covert influence operations has compiled a list of Greenlanders in both the territory and in Denmark who would support U.S. annexation, according to DR. He has also collected names of opponents of Trump’s plans in the region, and advised Greenlanders on issues that would reflect negatively on Denmark.
Of the three Americans identified, one is a current employee of the U.S. government who has been repeatedly seen in public with Trump and was recently appointed to a security policy-related role, DR said. The other two are former employees of Trump.
DR said it had not been able to confirm whether these Americans were working under orders from the U.S. government or on their own initiative. “The U.S. government does not control or direct the actions of private citizens,” the U.S. State Department wrote following Rasmussen's meeting with Stroh.
Trump has repeatedly called for the U.S. to annex Greenland, with Denmark saying the territory is not for sale. He has also refused to rule out the use of the military in acquiring the territory, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appearing to confirm in June that the government has prepared plans to take over Greenland by force.
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