US Tells Denmark to “Calm Down” Over Alleged Greenland Influence Operation

Tensions between the United States and Denmark have risen after reports claimed that Americans were carrying out covert influence campaigns in Greenland. Denmark has formally summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen, Mark Stroh, demanding answers but instead of reassurance, the White House reacted sharply, telling Denmark to “calm down.” The controversy started when Denmark’s public broadcaster DR reported that American citizens had visited Greenland, trying to build support for the island’s separation from Denmark and possible alignment with the United States. Sources suggested these people were gathering names of Greenlanders sympathetic to US interests and possibly recruiting them for a secessionist movement.

While the reports did not confirm whether these individuals were linked directly to the US government, the idea that Americans could be promoting the break-up of Danish territory has caused alarm in Copenhagen. Danish intelligence services have warned that Greenland, because of its strategic location and natural resources, is a target for “influence campaigns” by multiple foreign powers.

This is not the first time the United States has shown interest in Greenland. In recent years, former President Donald Trump repeatedly said he wanted to buy or annex the island, calling it a “great strategic asset.” The Trump administration even hinted that the US could seize it by force if necessary. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has enjoyed broad self-rule since 1979. It controls its domestic affairs, while Copenhagen manages its foreign and defense policy. Greenlanders have had the right to hold an independence referendum since 2009, but polls suggest they do not want to join the United States. Most Greenlandic political parties support eventual independence, but they disagree on how quickly it should happen and under what conditions. The United States appears interested because of Greenland’s location in the Arctic, its rare earth mineral deposits, and potential shipping routes opening due to melting ice.

Earlier this year, US Vice-President JD Vance visited a US military base in Greenland and criticized Denmark for “underinvesting” in the territory’s security. He said that Russia and China were also watching Greenland closely and could exploit its resources and strategic location.

Denmark’s government reacted strongly to the latest reports. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark will of course be unacceptable.” He summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires Mark Stroh to explain the allegations and warned that Denmark would not tolerate any undermining of its sovereignty. Danish intelligence, PET, confirmed that it has increased its presence in Greenland and is working closely with local authorities to monitor foreign influence attempts. PET said these campaigns could use “existing or invented disagreements” between Greenland and Denmark, spread disinformation, or involve physical agents on the ground. Analysts in Copenhagen described the summoning of the US diplomat as a “diplomatic yellow card” – a rare rebuke to one of Denmark’s closest allies. Jens Ladefoged Mortensen, a political scientist at the University of Copenhagen, said the Trump administration’s attitude toward Denmark was “shocking” given the countries’ long history as allies in NATO and Europe.

The US State Department declined to confirm whether any influence operations were taking place but insisted that the United States respects Greenlanders’ right to determine their own future. A spokesperson said that Mark Stroh had a “productive conversation” with the Danish foreign ministry and reaffirmed strong ties between the two nations. However, the White House reacted more bluntly. A senior official told reporters, “We think the Danes need to calm down,” signaling that Washington viewed the matter as exaggerated or unimportant.

The diplomatic row comes as US-Denmark economic relations also face strain. One of Denmark’s biggest companies, the state-owned energy giant Ørsted, recently suffered a major blow when the US government ordered a halt to its nearly completed offshore wind project in Rhode Island. The Revolution Wind project, meant to power 350,000 American homes, was already 80% built when the “stop-work order” arrived. President Trump has repeatedly criticized wind power, saying “we’re not doing the wind,” and his administration has blocked several green energy projects in recent months. Ørsted’s shares fell sharply after the decision, deepening Danish concerns that Washington was targeting its economic interests alongside its political ones.

Meanwhile, Greenland’s own leaders are firm that neither the US nor Denmark will dictate its future. In May, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said clearly: “We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.” Despite its autonomy, Greenland still relies heavily on Danish financial support, which makes full independence complicated. Most residents also worry about being dominated by a much larger power like the US if they were to break away from Denmark.

Denmark is a member of NATO and the European Union and has long considered the United States one of its strongest allies. But the latest controversy marks one of the sharpest diplomatic rifts between the two countries in decades. With American officials refusing to fully deny the allegations and Denmark stepping up security in Greenland, tensions are unlikely to disappear soon. As the Arctic becomes increasingly important for global trade, energy, and military strategy, the world will be watching how this small but strategic island shapes the future of US-Danish relations.