Denmark Summons Senior US Diplomat Amid Allegations of Covert Greenland Influence Campaign

Published: 27 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

The Danish government has summoned the most senior United States diplomat in Copenhagen following reports that American citizens have been involved in covert influence operations in Greenland aimed at promoting secession from Denmark. The move comes amid growing concern in Copenhagen over foreign attempts to interfere in the affairs of the Arctic territory, which holds both strategic and economic importance.

Denmark’s public broadcaster DR cited intelligence sources suggesting that American operatives had attempted to infiltrate Greenlandic society and encourage support for the island’s separation from the Kingdom of Denmark, with a view to eventual integration with the United States. Although the broadcaster was unable to confirm precisely which American agencies or groups the individuals were connected to, Danish security officials warned that the territory remained vulnerable to “various kinds of influence campaigns.”

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen reacted swiftly to the revelations, describing any such efforts as “unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom.” He confirmed that Mark Stroh, the US charge d’affaires in Copenhagen and the most senior American representative in Denmark in the absence of an ambassador, had been summoned for formal discussions. Rasmussen noted that Denmark had long been aware of foreign powers showing a keen interest in Greenland’s unique geopolitical position, but emphasised that overt attempts to sway the island’s political future would not be tolerated.

The allegations have revived memories of former US President Donald Trump’s repeated declarations that he wished to annex Greenland, describing the island as a valuable strategic asset. His successor, President Trump in his renewed term, has once again raised eyebrows in Europe with claims earlier this year that he would not rule out seizing Greenland by force. US Vice President JD Vance has also accused Copenhagen of neglecting investment in the territory, further fuelling Danish unease.

Only months ago, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, during a visit to Greenland, publicly warned Washington that “you cannot annex another country,” in response to American rhetoric. The issue has struck a particularly sensitive chord in Denmark, a NATO ally and long-standing partner of the United States, whose citizens are now confronted with the possibility of their closest security partner pursuing territorial ambitions over part of the Kingdom.

Denmark’s domestic intelligence agency PET has assessed that Greenland is likely to remain the target of foreign influence campaigns. According to PET, such efforts may seek to foster discord between Greenland and Denmark by exploiting “existing or invented disagreements,” using both traditional agents and sophisticated disinformation tactics. PET confirmed that it had already increased its presence in Greenland and intensified cooperation with local authorities to counteract any such activities.

DR’s reporting revealed details of one American individual’s recent visit to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, where he allegedly attempted to compile a list of residents sympathetic to US efforts to take over the island. The intention, according to the broadcaster, was to recruit local figures into a broader secessionist movement. The claims echo an earlier investigation by the Wall Street Journal in May, which alleged that American intelligence agencies had been directed to step up their focus on Greenland, with particular attention to independence movements and the prospects for exploiting the island’s rich mineral resources.

At the time, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard did not deny the report but accused the Wall Street Journal of undermining national security by publishing details of classified operations. The latest allegations, however, appear to have prompted a more formal and forceful diplomatic response from Copenhagen, which has already summoned the US envoy once this year over similar concerns.

While the United States has yet to issue a detailed public response, the growing strain risks testing one of Europe’s most enduring alliances. For Denmark, Greenland is not only a vital part of its kingdom but also a cornerstone of its Arctic strategy. For Washington, the island’s geographic location between North America and Europe, as well as its untapped natural resources, make it a focal point in an era of renewed geopolitical rivalry in the Arctic.

As the diplomatic row unfolds, many in Denmark fear that what was once dismissed as outlandish political rhetoric is now manifesting as an organised campaign to shift the island’s future. The controversy underscores how Greenland has emerged as a new flashpoint in the complex and often uneasy balance of transatlantic relations.