Denmark summons US diplomat Over Greenland spying allegations

A diplomatic dispute has erupted between Denmark and the United States following a report of alleged covert U.S. operations in Greenland. In a strong show of disapproval, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen.

The Danish public broadcaster DR reported that U.S. citizens have been conducting “covert influence operations” in Greenland, with the goal of promoting its secession from Denmark and eventual annexation by the United States.

While the report could not confirm who the individuals were working for, the news has caused significant alarm in Denmark.

This development follows repeated comments from President Donald Trump, who has expressed his desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

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Vice-President JD Vance has also accused Copenhagen of underinvestment in the territory. This rhetoric has shocked many Danes, who have long considered the U.S. a close ally.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has already sent a clear message to the U.S., stating during a recent visit to Greenland, “you cannot annex another country.”

In a statement to the BBC, Rasmussen emphasized that “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark will of course be unacceptable.”

He acknowledged that foreign powers continue to show an interest in Greenland and its future and suggested that outside attempts to influence the Kingdom’s future are not surprising.

The situation has put a strain on relations between the two NATO allies, with Denmark feeling increasingly threatened by the U.S.’s apparent determination to gain control of its territory.