Denmark Summons U.S. Envoy Over Alleged Covert Influence Operations in Greenland

COPENHAGEN, Aug. 27, 2025 - Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen on Wednesday following a report by the national broadcaster DR that at least three individuals with ties to former President Donald Trump have been conducting covert influence operations in Greenland.

According to DR, unnamed Danish government and security sources, along with contacts in Greenland and the United States, believe these activities aim to weaken relations between Greenland and Denmark by cultivating local support for U.S. interests and sowing dissent. One operative reportedly compiled lists of Greenlanders supportive of U.S. overtures and those opposed to Trump, while the others sought to establish connections with politicians, business leaders, and community members.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen characterized any attempt to interfere in the Kingdom of Denmark’s internal affairs as “unacceptable” and stressed that cooperation between Denmark and Greenland is “close and founded on mutual trust”. He directed his ministry to summon U.S. chargé d’affaires Mark Stroh for discussions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Since returning to office in January, President Trump has repeatedly asserted that Greenland-a resource-rich, strategically located semi-autonomous territory-is vital for U.S. security, even refusing to rule out the use of military force to acquire it. Both Danish and Greenlandic authorities have categorically rejected any possibility of a sale or annexation.

The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) warned that Greenland remains particularly susceptible to external influence campaigns seeking to create rifts within Greenlandic society and between Greenland and Denmark. PET has “consistently enhanced” its operations in Greenland in collaboration with local authorities and plans to continue these efforts.