A major diplomatic rift has erupted between NATO allies Denmark and the United States, with Copenhagen summoning a top American diplomat to explain allegations of a US-led influence campaign aimed at engineering Greenland’s secession. The plot, reportedly uncovered by Danish intelligence, appears to be a direct continuation of former President Donald Trump’s long-standing and controversial ambition to acquire the strategically vital Arctic territory for the United States.
According to reports from Denmark’s state broadcaster DR, Danish intelligence services identified a network of at least three American citizens working to sway politicians and public opinion in Greenland. One operative allegedly met with local business and political figures to create a list of potential allies and opponents of a US takeover. Two others were reportedly tasked with establishing informal contacts to build grassroots support for the idea, reviving concerns first raised by Trump’s 2019 offer to “buy” the autonomous Danish island.
In a sharp response, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires, Mark Stro, for an official explanation. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled the alleged activities “unacceptable interference” in the kingdom’s internal affairs and pointedly remarked that American authorities have “not denied” the accusations. Danish officials seem to be treating the incident as a personal initiative of Trump, with Frederiksen reportedly choosing to discuss the matter with US senators rather than the White House.
Despite the alleged American efforts, the campaign appears to have failed, finding no significant support in Greenland. The island, home to about 57,000 people, has a strong pro-independence movement, but even parties like Naleraq, which advocate for eventual separation from Denmark and closer economic ties with the US, have rejected the notion of becoming American territory. The issue has resurfaced amid reports of renewed rhetoric from Trump about asserting US control over Greenland, as well as Canada and the Panama Canal, and follows recent visits to the island by Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President J.D. Vance, which Danish authorities viewed as provocative.
This marks the second time this year that Denmark has issued a formal diplomatic protest to the US regarding Greenland, a frequency of friction typically seen between adversarial nations, not close military allies. The controversy has unfolded at a sensitive moment, as the Danish government is also addressing a historical scandal involving the forced placement of IUDs in indigenous Inuit women in Greenland, for which Prime Minister Frederiksen has issued a formal apology and ordered a full investigation.