Denmark Summons US Envoy Over Greenland Influence Concerns

Denmark Summons US Envoy Over Greenland Influence Concerns

Denmark has summoned its top U.S. diplomat amid reports that U.S. citizens with ties to President Trump are covertly plotting influence activities in Greenland, according to the Financial Times. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Wednesday that “foreign forces” were attempting to influence Greenland’s future, which was “unacceptable.” He has summoned Mark Stroh, the chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, currently the highest-ranking U.S. diplomat in Denmark, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for talks. Recent reports from Danish public broadcaster DR suggest that Danish authorities are aware of at least three U.S. citizens linked to the Trump administration gathering information and conducting influence operations in Greenland. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, enjoying a high degree of self-governance, but defense and foreign affairs are the responsibility of the Danish government. Rasmussen said in a television interview that he was “not surprised” by the report. But he added: “The important thing is that we are aware of this, so that our people, both in Greenland and in Denmark, are clear about the risks we may be facing.” Trump has repeatedly hinted that the U.S. wanted to take Greenland from Copenhagen, and has not ruled out using force. His earlier remarks had already shocked Denmark. Previously, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. intelligence agencies received a classified message urging them to identify individuals in Greenland and Denmark who support Trump’s ambitions to seize the island. The Scandinavian country subsequently summoned the top U.S. diplomat in May. The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) said Wednesday that its assessment was that “in the current situation, Greenland is becoming a target for various influence operations. PET expects that the purpose of these operations is to provoke discord and division between Denmark and Greenland.” Some senior Danish officials have tried to downplay the significance of summoning Stroh, saying that the three U.S. citizens’ behavior appeared amateurish and that there was no evidence they were linked to U.S. intelligence agencies. But Danish politicians have expressed widespread shock. Former Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard told local television station TV2: “This means that the Greenland issue is not over.” He added: “This is seriously damaging our relationship with the United States, and the Americans should also be aware of that.” Aaja Chemnitz, a Danish MP from Greenland, said: “They are trying to infiltrate Greenlandic society in this way, it’s completely absurd. Greenland must decide for ourselves what we want and where we want to go in the future.” Just days before this accusation surfaced, the Trump administration halted construction on a nearly completed offshore wind farm project co-owned by Danish energy giant Ørsted, dealing a blow to Danish businesses. On the same day, Rasmussen and the Danish ambassador to the U.S. also signed a partnership agreement with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has described himself as a figure resisting Trump. Danish officials denied any connection between the two events. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said they would not comment on the actions of private citizens in Greenland, but called Stroh's meeting with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs “productive.” Although Trump has nominated Ken Howery, a close ally of Elon Musk, to be ambassador to Denmark, the U.S. has not yet sent an ambassador to Copenhagen. Additionally, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday publicly apologized to thousands of Greenlandic women who were forcibly fitted with contraceptive coils over the past decades. Frederiksen acknowledged that the incident had caused “anger and grief” in Greenland, and had also damaged people’s perception of Denmark. Many Greenlanders use this as an example to express their desire for independence from Denmark. But surveys show that the Arctic island of 57,000 people is not in a hurry to become independent at present, mainly because it fears economic hardship.