By Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1355 EAT on Wednesday 27 August 2025

Denmark’s foreign minister has summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen following reports that American citizens have been involved in covert influence operations in Greenland.

According to Denmark’s public broadcaster DR, unnamed sources allege that the individuals were working to infiltrate Greenlandic society and promote its secession from the Kingdom of Denmark—ultimately in favor of alignment with the United States. The report did not clarify on whose behalf the individuals were allegedly operating.

Danish intelligence agencies have previously warned that Greenland, a semi-autonomous Arctic territory, is being targeted by “various kinds of influence campaigns” due to its strategic geopolitical importance.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen condemned any such interference, stating:

“Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark is, of course, unacceptable.”
He confirmed that the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Denmark had been summoned “in that light.”

The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen has not yet issued a public response to the allegations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland—an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark—and recently reignited tensions by suggesting he would not rule out seizing it by force. Vice President J.D. Vance has also accused Denmark of underinvesting in the strategically important Arctic region.

On a visit to Greenland earlier this year, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a pointed warning to Washington:

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen echoed these concerns in a statement to the BBC, saying the government is “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.

The comments come amid growing alarm in Copenhagen over reports of alleged covert U.S. influence operations in Greenland, aimed at promoting secession. The U.S. chargé d’affaires was recently summoned by Danish officials in response.

Denmark, a member of both NATO and the European Union, has long considered the United States one of its closest allies. But Trump’s open ambition to control Greenland—culminating in suggestions of using force—has shocked many Danes and stirred deep unease within the political establishment.

Denmark’s domestic intelligence agency, PET, has warned that foreign influence campaigns are actively targeting Greenland, aiming to “create discord in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland.”

In a newly released assessment, PET stated that such efforts could involve exploiting “existing or invented disagreements,” using either “traditional, physical influence agents or disinformation tactics.” In response, the agency has strengthened its presence in Greenland and deepened its cooperation with local authorities.

Tensions between Denmark and the United States have escalated in recent months, with Copenhagen increasingly alarmed by alleged covert activities aimed at promoting Greenlandic secession. While the U.S. currently lacks an ambassador in Denmark, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has summoned Mark Stroh, the chargé d’affaires and Washington’s most senior diplomat in the country.

This marks the second time this year Rasmussen has summoned Stroh. The first instance followed a Wall Street Journal report in May suggesting that U.S. intelligence agencies had been directed to increase their focus on Greenland.

The latest revelations, reported by Danish public broadcaster DR, detail a recent visit by an unnamed American to Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. According to DR’s sources, the individual was attempting to identify Greenlanders who supported U.S. efforts to assume control of the island, with the apparent goal of recruiting them into a secessionist movement.

The Wall Street Journal report also indicated that U.S. intelligence was interested in learning more about Greenland’s independence movement and local attitudes toward potential American mineral extraction projects.

At the time, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard did not deny the report’s claims but accused the newspaper of “breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy.”

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