The Danish foreign minister has summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen to explain a media report alleging that American nationals linked to President Donald Trump are attempting to infiltrate Greenland and run covert influencing operations there.
Newsweek contacted the White House and the U.S. State Department for comment via email outside normal business hours.
Why It MattersEarlier in the year, Trump spoke repeatedly about his quest for the U.S. to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous, resource-rich territory in the Kingdom of Denmark, for national security reasons.
Politicians in Greenland and Denmark firmly rejected the idea, but the president remained adamant.
What To KnowLars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s foreign minister, said in a statement to the Ritzau news agency that Denmark was aware of foreign interest in Greenland and so it was unsurprising to hear of foreign influence attempts in connection with it.
“We can ascertain that there are continuously foreign actors showing interest in Greenland and its current position within the kingdom. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise if, in the near future, we see foreign attempts to influence the kingdom’s future,” Rasmussen said in his statement, originally in Danish, adding that his ministry had called in the American chargé d’affaires for a meeting.
“Any attempt at interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom will, of course, be unacceptable,” he said.
DR had reported that at least three Americans with close connections to Trump were involved in the influencing operations, citing eight anonymous sources in both Denmark and the U.S., including government officials.
DR said it could not ascertain if the three men were working on their own initiative or given an official order, adding that they were being closely monitored by Danish authorities.
Trump told reporters in March that America will “go as far as we have to go” to gain control of Greenland. He also called U.S. ownership of the territory “an absolute necessity.”
The issue had faded from the headlines after Vice President JD Vance made a scaled-back visit to Greenland with his wife, Usha Vance, in March.
The prime minister of NATO ally Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, said the Vance trip put “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and Denmark.
The report by the Danish broadcaster DR about a U.S. operation and the foreign minister’s reaction to it looks set to thrust the question of Trump’s quest for the huge island with abundant mineral resources back into the spotlight.
Greenland is home to the Thule Air Base, an important U.S. military facility.
Polling of Greenlanders indicates little appetite on the island for being absorbed into the U.S.
What People Are SayingPresident Donald Trump, asked on March 29 if he would authorize the use of military force to take control of Greenland, told NBC News: “I don’t take anything off the table.”
One of DR’s sources, who declined to be identified, said: “What we are seeing is the use of soft power, influence and attempts to create internal discord.”
What Happens NextIt is not clear how, or if, the U.S. administration will go about its mission to take control of Greenland, but it is unlikely to shift its attention away from the Arctic island.
Update 8/27/2025 5:15 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.