Danish Foreign Minister Summons US Diplomat Over Covert Influence Operations in Greenland

By Staff, Agencies

Denmark’s foreign minister has reportedly called in the top US diplomat in Copenhagen to address reports that American citizens have been running influence operations in Greenland.

US President Donald Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the minerals-rich and strategically located Arctic island for reasons of national and international security, and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.

The Danish government assesses that a minimum of three US citizens with affiliations to the Trump administration have engaged in covert influence operations within the Danish territory, public broadcaster DR reported on Wednesday, citing the minister.

The broadcaster did not name the individuals.

“Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the kingdom (of Denmark) will of course be unacceptable,” Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.

“In this light, I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the American charge d’affaires (diplomat) for a conversation,” the minister said.

The US mission in Copenhagen is currently led by Charge d’affaires Mark Stroh, it said on its website.

Trump is not the first American president seeking to capture Greenland. The idea of acquiring the world’s largest island has surfaced multiple times in US history, with notable internal discussions occurring in 1867, 1910, 1946, 1955, and most recently under Trump in 2019 and 2025.

Straddling the Arctic Circle between the US, Russia, and Europe, the island holds a unique geopolitical advantage that has drawn Washington’s interest for over a century and a half.

Trump first made waves with his offer to buy Greenland during his first term, but he has taken his desire to “own” the island to a new level since returning to the White House for a second term in January.

For the United States, controlling Greenland could mean reducing its reliance on China for these precious resources. Once a leading producer of rare earths, the US has since been surpassed by China.