Denmark is seeking a meeting with the US ambassador amid concerns American intelligence agencies have ramped up spying on Greenland.
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambitions to annex Greenland, sparking genuine concern among locals and Danish authorities.
Amid reporting from the Wall Street Journal that US authorities have increased spying efforts as part of Trump’s campaign, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a stern warning.
‘We do not spy on friends,’ he said. ‘I have read the article in the Wall Street Journal and it worries me greatly.’
Rasumussen revealed he intends to ‘call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information, which is somewhat disturbing.’
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic, refusing to rule out annexation by force.
The rhetoric has sparked a diplomatic crisis between the US, Denmark and Greenland.
According to the WSJ piece, two sources with knowledge of the order claim Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a ‘collection emphasis message’ last week, which will direct resources to monitoring Greenland.
Denmark is seeking a meeting with the US ambassador amid concerns American intelligence agencies have ramped up spying on Greenland
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a stern warning to his US counterparts and said he intends to ‘call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion’
The goal is to learn more about the movement within Greenland for independence from Denmark, as well as gauge sentiment on America’s extraction of resources.
‘Intelligence collection resources are inherently limited,’ the insider said, adding that they’re usually reserved for ‘perceived threats, not allied countries.’
As per the order, intelligence agencies can use spies on the ground, as well as intercept communications and utilize surveillance satellites, to gain the information necessary.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited Greenland last month, but were treated with contempt by officials who were furious about the ‘aggressive’ trip.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede called the trip ‘highly aggressive,’ while locals refused to even meet with the couple.
Egede noted that ‘it has not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.’
Tupilak Travel in Nuuk revealed that he US Consulate had reached out to them to schedule a meet-and-greet with Usha, but they politely declined due to the ‘underlying agenda.’
And Vance issued an extraordinary attack on Denmark about Greenland’s independence – the very same message that the WSJ claims spies are trying to learn more about.
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited Greenland last month, but were treated with contempt by officials who were furious about the ‘aggressive’ trip
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambitions to annex Greenland, sparking genuine concern among locals and Danish authorities
‘What we think is going to happen is that Greenlanders are going to choose through self-determination to become independent of Denmark,’ he said.
He said the United States was no longer willing to ‘pick up the tab’ for Europe to keep the region safe.
‘If the people of Greenland are willing to partner with United States, and I think they ultimately will, we could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection, and I think they would fare a lot better economically as well,’ he said.
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only Greenlanders can decide the territory’s future.
However, they have found themselves treading a delicate line between firmly dismissing US ambitions over Greenland and trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.
A US State Department spokesperson said the department does not comment on intelligence matters and referred to an earlier comment from National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt, who said Trump has been very clear that the US is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.
