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Denmark called in the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen on Wednesday following reports that American officials have been gathering intelligence on sensitive historical issues in Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory that President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to acquire.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned the U.S. chargé d'affaires after Danish public television reported that at least three U.S. officials with ties to Trump had been observed in Greenland recently. The Americans were reportedly investigating past controversies that have strained relations between Greenland and Denmark, including the forced removal of Greenlandic children from their families and a coercive contraception program.
"Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the kingdom will of course be unacceptable," Rasmussen said in a statement, confirming he had ordered the diplomatic meeting.
The development marks an escalation in tensions between the NATO allies over Greenland, a strategically positioned Arctic territory rich in natural resources. Since returning to office in January, Trump has repeatedly asserted that America needs control of the island for national security purposes and has declined to rule out using military force to obtain it.
Greenland, home to approximately 57,000 people, occupies a crucial position between North America and Europe. The island hosts important U.S. military installations and sits atop significant mineral deposits, making it increasingly valuable as Arctic ice melts and opens new shipping routes.
Despite Trump's ambitions, Greenlandic public opinion appears opposed to American control. A January poll indicated that while the vast majority of Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark, they do not wish to become part of the United States.
The Danish foreign minister acknowledged that international interest in Greenland was expected given its strategic importance.
"We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark," Rasmussen said. "It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead."
The reported U.S. intelligence-gathering efforts appear focused on historical grievances that could potentially be exploited to weaken Greenland's ties to Denmark. Both the forced family separations and contraception scandal represent dark chapters in Danish-Greenlandic relations that have contributed to pro-independence sentiment on the island.
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