At least three Americans with connections to President Donald Trump have reportedly been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland, prompting Denmark to summon a top US diplomat to the country.
Danish public broadcaster DR reported on Wednesday that unnamed government and security sources in Greenland and the U.S. believe that at least three people with ties to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in the territory.
It comes after Trump’s repeated threats to annex the territory via military force.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally of the U.S., strongly rejects Trump’s proposal to take over the strategically located, mineral-rich Arctic island, making clear that the land is not for sale.
At least eight sources within Greenland’s government and security apparatus believe that a handful of Americans with ties to Trump are conducting covert intelligence operations, DR reported.
One of those people allegedly compiled a list of U.S.-friendly Greenlanders, collected names of people opposed to Trump and got locals to point out cases that could be used to cast Denmark in a negative light in in U.S. media. Two others have tried to nurture contacts with politicians, businesspeople and locals, DR reported.
An influence operation is an organized effort to shape how people in a society think in order to achieve certain political, military or other objectives.
The local sources told DR about the alleged American operation believe that the U.S. is attempting to weaken relations between Denmark and Greenland.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable.”
“We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a statement. “It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead.”
“In that light, I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires for a meeting at the Ministry,” he added.
Cooperation between the governments of Denmark and Greenland “is close and based on mutual trust,” he added.
