Diplomatic tensions between Denmark and the United States have reached a new high after reports surfaced alleging that American citizens with ties to former President Donald Trump’s administration have been conducting covert influence operations in Greenland. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US charge d’affaires, Mark Stroh, for urgent talks on August 27, 2025, following a series of revelations by Danish media and intelligence agencies. The alleged activities, which include attempts to promote Greenland’s secession from Denmark and potential annexation by the United States, have sent shockwaves through Copenhagen and raised serious questions about the future of the Arctic territory.
According to Denmark’s main national broadcaster DR, at least three men with connections to Trump’s White House have been accused of trying to infiltrate Greenlandic society. Their reported tactics involve compiling lists of Greenlanders who support Trump, advising on issues that cast Denmark in a negative light, and seeking to sway public opinion in favor of breaking away from Denmark—possibly to join the US. One of the men has appeared publicly with Trump multiple times and is said to have also maintained lists of those opposed to the former president.
The Danish government, already wary of “foreign agents and actors” seeking to shape Greenlandic public opinion, responded swiftly. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen denounced the alleged scheme as “totally unacceptable,” stating, “It is important that we gain insight into this so that our populations—this applies to both Greenland and Denmark—can see what it is we are up against.” He further emphasized that any foreign influence campaign in Greenland with Washington’s backing “would be contrary to all international rules.”
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen echoed these concerns, telling The Guardian that she was taking the claims “very seriously.” She noted, “Any interference in internal affairs in the kingdom of Denmark, and Greenlandic democracy, is unacceptable.” Frederiksen pointed out that, “The Americans do not clearly deny that the situation is as DR presents today. And that is of course serious.”
In an unusual move reflecting the gravity of the situation, Denmark’s highest-ranking civil servant attended the meeting with the US charge d’affaires, as the incoming US ambassador, Ken Howery, has yet to arrive in Copenhagen. The US State Department, for its part, has maintained that it “values the relationships with the governments of Greenland and Denmark.” In a statement to DR, a US government representative said, “Individual US citizens may have interests in Greenland. The US government does not control or direct the actions of private citizens.” The spokesperson added, “The president, vice-president and secretary of state have all been clear: the United States respects the right of the Greenlandic people to determine their own future.”
The diplomatic spat comes at a time when US-Greenland relations are under unprecedented scrutiny. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly asserted that the US needs the strategically located, resource-rich island for security reasons. He has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it, a stance that has alarmed Danish officials and much of the European community. During a visit to Greenland earlier this year, Frederiksen warned the US directly, “You cannot annex another country.”
Greenland’s status is indeed unique. While it has enjoyed broad self-government since 1979, foreign and defense policy is still made in Copenhagen. Although most of its political parties support independence, they remain divided over the timeline and terms. Crucially, a January 2025 opinion poll found that while the majority of Greenland’s 57,000 people favor independence from Denmark, the vast majority do not wish to become part of the United States. Greenland’s leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, made this clear in May, stating, “We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.”
Denmark’s national security and intelligence service, PET, has been forthright in its warnings. In a statement cited by Al Jazeera, PET said it considers that “Greenland, especially in the current situation, is a target for influence campaigns of various kinds.” These could include exploiting existing or manufactured disagreements, “by promoting or reinforcing certain views in Greenland regarding the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States or other countries with a special interest in Greenland.” PET has since strengthened its presence in Greenland and deepened cooperation with local authorities.
The US response to Denmark’s concerns has been mixed. While the State Department spokesperson told the BBC that Mark Stroh’s meeting with Danish officials was “productive” and “reaffirmed the strong ties” between the three governments, a White House official, when pressed about the influence campaign, remarked, “We think the Danes need to calm down.” This comment has only heightened Danish anxieties and prompted pointed criticism from experts. Jens Ladefoged Mortensen of the University of Copenhagen described the episode as a “diplomatic yellow card” unprecedented in Danish-US relations, adding, “This hostile attitude towards Denmark from the Trump administration is shocking. As a pro-American country, we’re asking why are you doing this.”
On the ground in Greenland, reactions have been measured but wary. While some politicians, like Aaja Chemnitz of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party, acknowledge ongoing US efforts to influence Greenlandic society, she told The Guardian, “I don’t think it is working. The Greenlandic people have been an object for people trying to influence us over many, many years.” She also noted the persistent inequalities and historic injustices faced by Greenlandic Inuit, including recent scandals over forced removals of children and forced contraception, for which Frederiksen issued a formal apology this week.
Others, such as Pele Broberg, leader of the opposition Naleraq party (considered the most Trump-friendly in Greenland), downplayed the controversy. “Should we never talk to anybody but Denmark? We don’t get what the big issue is right now,” he said, adding that foreign influence from European countries is common and “it’s just business as usual.”
The controversy has also spilled over into economic relations. In recent days, the Danish multinational wind farm developer Orsted, which is partly state-owned, was hit by a US government stop-work order on its Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island. The order, part of Trump’s broader campaign against wind power, led to a sharp drop in Orsted’s share price and underscored the growing friction between the two allies.
As the dust settles, the situation in Greenland remains delicate. Denmark, a member of both NATO and the European Union, has long counted the US as one of its closest allies. Yet the current dispute over Greenland’s future and the alleged covert operations have exposed deep rifts and forced both sides to reconsider the boundaries of their special relationship. For now, the people of Greenland continue to chart their own course, wary of outside interference but determined to have the final say in their destiny.