Following reported spying by the U.S. in Greenland, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Wednesday, May 7, that he’s summoning the acting U.S. ambassador to Denmark. The move comes after a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, May 6, citing sources familiar with the matter, which revealed that the Trump administration ordered U.S. spy agencies to identify residents who support Trump’s desire to annex the semiautonomous island.
What did the report say?
The WSJ reported that U.S. intelligence agencies were directed to “identify people in Greenland and Denmark who support U.S. objectives for the island.” The Journal additionally reports that the order instructed agency leaders in a “collection emphasis message,” which is typically sent to assist intelligence agencies in prioritizing and directing resources to targets of “high-interest.” The Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency were among those reportedly included in the directive, which told leaders to monitor “Greenland’s independence movement” as well as “attitudes to American efforts to extract resources on the island.”
What happens now?
Rasmussen spoke to the media during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Poland.
“I have read the article in The Wall Street Journal and it worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends,” Rasmussen said. “We are going to call in the U.S. acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information, which is somewhat disturbing.”
The Wall Street Journal said that it’s rare for the U.S. to spy on an ally, reserving such action for hostile countries that are viewed as a threat to America’s national security.
How is the Trump administration responding?
The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the report, saying it does not discuss sensitive intelligence issues. It deferred to a previous comment from National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt, who said that President Donald Trump has been very consistent in his concern for the security of Greenland and the Arctic.
“The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a statement. “They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy.”
Trump has continually vowed to annex Greenland, and has not ruled out force in taking over the Danish territory. Vice President JD Vance also visited the island in March. Shortly after, the U.S. military chief in Greenland was fired after she sent an email to staff distancing herself from Vance, which the Trump administration said “undermined” the vice president.
Ongoing diplomatic dispute
The vow to annex land owned by a U.S. ally created friction between the U.S. and leaders of Denmark and Greenland. They have stated that the Danish territory is not for sale, and assert continued talks about a U.S. takeover of the island hurt their relationship with the U.S, declaring Greenlanders can decide on their own future. A January poll shows that 85% of Greenlanders do not support a U.S. annexation of the island. The roughly 56,000 people who live there have access to Denmark’s universal health care, as well as other benefits of Danish citizenship.
Walking a fine line
Denmark has tried to walk a fine line, seeking to maintain a good relationship with the U.S. while trying to snuff out any efforts to annex its island territory in the Arctic.
The Trump administration maintains that it’s not giving up on annexing Greenland, and argues that it is vital to U.S. national security. The administration is also reportedly interested in Greenland’s rare earth minerals, as well as oil resources. Trump’s goals have created a diplomatic spat with Greenland and Denmark, as both traditional allies now navigate an increasingly rocky relationship.
