ARCHIVE – The flag of Greenland (l) can be seen together with the flag of Denmark. Photo: Nikolai Linares/Ritzau Scanpix Foto/dpa
Keystone
The Danish Foreign Ministry has summoned a senior US embassy official after media reports of covert influence operations by Americans in Greenland. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told the television station DR.
The broadcaster reported that at least three US Americans with links to US President Donald Trump had attempted to “infiltrate” Greenlandic society in order to weaken the Arctic country’s relationship with Denmark. The broadcaster referred to Danish government and official circles as well as anonymous sources in Greenland and the USA.
In recent months, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in taking control of Greenland for reasons of national and international security. The island is largely autonomous, but officially belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. Both countries have repeatedly and clearly rejected Trump’s desires.
Denmark’s foreign minister: interference “unacceptable”
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Rasmussen told broadcaster DR: “Any attempt to interfere in the Kingdom’s internal affairs is of course unacceptable.”
According to the report, one of the men has, among other things, drawn up a list of names of Greenlanders who are said to be sympathetic to US President Trump and whom he could recruit for an independence movement. He also drew up a list of locals who are said to be critical of the USA. There was initially no reaction from the White House.
In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US government had asked its intelligence services to find out more about the independence movement in Greenland and how the Greenlanders and Danes feel about the USA’s mining of raw materials on the island. A US diplomat was also summoned to the Danish Foreign Ministry at that time.