Due to an alleged Greenland influence effort, Denmark called for a top US official

In response to a revelation that American nationals have been carrying out clandestine operations in Greenland, Denmark’s foreign minister has called for the top US diplomat to be in Copenhagen. The goal was to infiltrate Greenland’s society and encourage its secession from Denmark to the US, according to sources cited by Denmark’s national broadcaster DR, however it was unable to identify the men’s employer.

Danish intelligence warned Greenland was being targeted by “various kinds of influence campaigns”.

Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom [of Denmark] will of course be unacceptable”, and the US charge d’affaires had been summoned in that light.

Vice-President JD Vance has charged Copenhagen of underinvesting in Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark, which US President Trump has repeatedly stated he intends to acquire.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cautioned the United States that “you cannot annex another country” during a visit to Greenland a few months ago.

Denmark’s foreign minister said in a statement  that the government was “aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark”.

“It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead,” he added.

Trump’s resolve to govern Denmark’s semi-autonomous area has stunned Danes, who have long viewed the US as one of their closest allies and are members of both NATO and the European Union. This year, the president of the United States stated that he would not rule out taking it by force. The goal of influence campaigns, according to Denmark’s PET security and intelligence service, is to “create discord in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland.”

Using “existing or invented disagreements” or “traditional, physical influence agents or via disinformation” may accomplish this, it continued. According to PET, it has stepped up its cooperation with Greenland’s authorities and increased its presence there.

Trump’s resolve to govern Denmark’s semi-autonomous area has stunned Danes, who have long viewed the US as one of their closest allies and are members of both NATO and the European Union. This year, the president of the United States stated that he would not rule out taking it by force. The goal of influence campaigns, according to Denmark’s PET security and intelligence service, is to “create discord in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland.”

Using “existing or invented disagreements” or “traditional, physical influence agents or via disinformation” may accomplish this, it continued. According to PET, it has stepped up its cooperation with Greenland’s authorities and increased its presence there.