Denmark summoned the U.S. charge d’affaires over a report alleging a U.S. influence operation in Greenland.
A Tuesday report from DR, Denmark’s public broadcaster, citing Danish intelligence sources, alleged that President Donald Trump’s allies were carrying out an “infiltration” and “influence operation” in Greenland, seeking to weaken the island’s ties with Copenhagen and open it to a U.S. takeover. In response to the report, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen summoned the U.S. charge d’affaires for a meeting at the ministry.
“We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen wrote in a comment obtained by Bloomberg. “Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable.”
DR’s sources, who remained anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter, said they were unable to discern whether the U.S. citizens part of the operation were acting of their own accord or under orders. The sources divulged at least three Americans with close connections to Trump who were operating in the country.
According to the report, one of the men was compiling a list of Greenlanders who could form a secessionist movement to split from Copenhagen and join the United States. He also collected names of Trump’s opponents in Greenland, as well as information that could be used to sow discord between Greenland and Denmark, such as past abuses of indigenous Greenlanders.
One source told DR that the man in question was appointed to a role that could give him influence over U.S. policy.
“What we are seeing is the use of soft power, influence and attempts to create internal discord,” a source said.
Two other American citizens have been trying to cultivate contacts with the Greenlandic elite, including businessmen and politicians, which authorities fear could be used to support Trump’s takeover of Greenland.
Trump’s push since taking office for the U.S. to acquire Greenland by whatever means necessary sent shock waves in Copenhagen and Nuuk, which have vehemently pushed back against attempts to acquire the island. The overtures triggered a snap election in Greenland, which resulted in a victory for the pro-independence liberal Demokraatit Party in March. The party has been critical of Trump’s desire to take over the territory.
The Danish media outlet Politiken reported that before the election, the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk had reached out to all Greenlandic party leaders to set up a meeting and hear their thoughts about the U.S. Demokraatit Party Chairman Jens-Frederik Nielsen, 33, decried the move as election interference.
“I consider this to be an attempt to interfere in the Greenlandic election, where the consulate might try to influence the parties to be more open towards the U.S. I don’t think it’s appropriate just before an election to try to influence — especially given the rhetoric from the U.S.,” he said, adding that he declined the invitation.
Though Trump floated the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term, he has made a more sustained effort to acquire it during his second. He reaffirmed his desire during his first address to Congress in March.
WHAT HAPPENED THE PREVIOUS THREE TIMES THE US ATTEMPTED TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND
“We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it,” he said. “But we need it really for international world security, and I think we’re going to get it.”
The U.S. occupied and developed Greenland during World War II and undertook serious efforts to purchase it from Denmark in 1867, 1910, and 1946.