Denmark summons US envoy over claims of interference in Greenland : NPR

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Kwiyeon Ha/AP COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark's international minister summoned the highest U.S. diplomat within the nation for talks after the primary nationwide broadcaster reported Wednesday that no less than three folks with connections to President Donald Trump have been finishing up covert affect operations in Greenland.

In a prolonged written assertion, the U.S. State Division confirmed that the deputy chief of mission in Copenhagen, Mark Stroh, had met with Danish international ministry officers. It declined to remark "on the actions of personal U.S. residents in Greenland."

"The U.S. authorities doesn't management or direct the actions of personal residents," it stated.

The division stated Stroh had "a productive dialog and reaffirmed the robust ties among the many Authorities of Greenland, the USA, and Denmark." It stated the U.S. values its relationships with each Denmark, a NATO ally, and Greenland and famous that Trump and his prime aides had all stated they respect "the proper of the folks of Greenland to find out their very own future."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4432x2952+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F67%2Fb6%2F611c19894085af24599fa56cfc79%2Fap25239544092531.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4432x2952+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F67%2Fb6%2F611c19894085af24599fa56cfc79%2Fap25239544092531.jpg" class="img" alt="Mark Stroh, the top U.S. diplomat in Denmark, arrives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025." loading="lazy"/> Mark Stroh, the highest U.S. diplomat in Denmark, arrives the Ministry of International Affairs in Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix Foto/AP conceal caption

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Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix Foto/AP "We proceed to foster engagement and cooperation with Denmark and Greenland to help elevated safety and prosperity for our nations," it stated.

Stroh is the second American diplomat to be summoned by a European NATO ally this week because the Trump administration shakes up its method to international coverage. France had referred to as U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner to its international ministry after he despatched a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging the nation didn't do sufficient to fight antisemitism.

Trump has repeatedly stated he seeks U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, an unlimited, semiautonomous territory of Denmark. He has not dominated out navy pressure to take management of the mineral-rich, strategically positioned Arctic island.

Denmark and Greenland have stated the island just isn't on the market and condemned reviews of the U.S. gathering intelligence there.

Public broadcaster DR stated Danish authorities and safety sources that it did not title, in addition to unidentified sources in Greenland and the U.S., imagine that no less than three American nationals with connections to Trump have been finishing up covert affect operations within the territory.

A type of folks allegedly compiled an inventory of U.S.-friendly Greenlanders, collected names of individuals against Trump and acquired locals to level out circumstances that may very well be used to forged Denmark in a foul gentle in American media, the broadcaster reported. Two others have tried to nurture contacts with politicians, businesspeople and locals, in keeping with the report.

DR stated its story was based mostly on info from a complete of eight sources, who imagine the aim is to weaken relations with Denmark from inside Greenlandic society. It stated it had been unable to make clear whether or not the Individuals had been working at their very own initiative or on orders from another person. It stated it is aware of their names however selected to not publish them to guard its sources.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7856x5240+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb0%2F7f%2F0357b9494fd181edbef0a1a0de21%2Fap25239543920906.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7856x5240+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb0%2F7f%2F0357b9494fd181edbef0a1a0de21%2Fap25239543920906.jpg" class="img" alt="Mark Stroh, the top U.S. diplomat in Denmark, arrives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025." loading="lazy"/> Mark Stroh, the highest U.S. diplomat in Denmark, arrives the Ministry of International Affairs in Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix Foto/ AP conceal caption

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Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix Foto/ AP The Related Press couldn't independently affirm the report.

"We're conscious that international actors proceed to point out an curiosity in Greenland and its place within the Kingdom of Denmark," Danish International Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated in a press release. "It's due to this fact not stunning if we expertise outdoors makes an attempt to affect the way forward for the Kingdom within the time forward."

"Any try and intrude within the inside affairs of the Kingdom will after all be unacceptable," Rasmussen stated.

Cooperation between the governments of Denmark and Greenland "is shut and based mostly on mutual belief," he added.

The White Home, just like the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, wouldn't touch upon the substance of DR's reporting that Individuals with connections to Trump have been finishing up covert affect operations in Greenland. However a White Home official, who was not approved to remark publicly and spoke solely on the situation of anonymity, downplayed Denmark's issues and prompt "the Danes must settle down."

The Danish Safety and Intelligence Service stated it believes that "notably within the present scenario, Greenland is a goal for affect campaigns of assorted sorts" that might intention to create divisions within the relationship between Denmark and Greenland.

It stated it "assesses that this may very well be accomplished by exploiting current or fabricated disagreements, for instance in reference to well-known particular person circumstances, or by selling or amplifying sure viewpoints in Greenland concerning the Kingdom, the USA, or different nations with a specific curiosity in Greenland."

The service, identified by its Danish acronym PET, stated that in recent times, it has "constantly strengthened" its efforts and presence in Greenland in cooperation with authorities there, and can proceed to take action.