Washington is accused of covert influence operations in Greenland, and Danish intelligence is stepping up its presence.
A new escalation has placed Greenland back in the spotlight as a focal point of geopolitical competition in the Arctic, between American attempts to bolster its influence and Danish moves to defend the unity of the Danish kingdom. The crisis has demonstrated that the arena of conflict is no longer solely military, but also includes an information war and historical narratives aimed at influencing public opinion.
On Wednesday morning, August 27, 2025, tensions escalated between Denmark and the United States after the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) published an investigative report accusing three American figures linked to former President Donald Trump of carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland.
The Danish intelligence agency PET confirmed that the island had become a target of influence campaigns aimed at sowing discord between Greenland and Denmark, prompting Copenhagen to take urgent action that included summoning the US chargé d'affaires and holding an emergency meeting with a delegation from the US Senate.
DR report opens fire
According to a DR report released Wednesday morning, three Americans with ties to Trump carried out what were described as "covert influence operations" in Greenland. The report was based on eight anonymous sources, including officials in governments and security agencies from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States.
Official warning from Danish intelligence
The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) commented on the report in a written statement to TV2, saying: “Greenland has become the target of influence campaigns aimed at creating a rift between it and Denmark,” warning that these campaigns could evolve to include disinformation and the exploitation of historical divisions.
Urgent action from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also announced the summoning of the US chargé d'affaires in Copenhagen, stating, “It is important that we make it clear to the United States what Denmark and its security services know. If there is official involvement in these operations, it constitutes a violation of international norms.” He added, “Personally, I was not surprised by what was revealed today, but highlighting it is essential to strengthen our resilience.”.
Meeting with a delegation from the US Senate
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that she met on Wednesday with a delegation from the US Senate, which was visiting Copenhagen as part of a diplomatic mission. However, the meeting quickly turned into a heated exchange. Frederiksen said, "We made it unequivocally clear that interference in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland is absolutely unacceptable." She added, "The Americans did not explicitly deny the allegations in the DR report, and that in itself is a serious matter.".
Reactions from Greenland
Former Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte B. Egede told Danish broadcaster DR: “Although I am not surprised, these campaigns are unacceptable. I hope that the good cooperation between the United States and Denmark will get back on track.”.
MP Aaja Chemnitz of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party told TV2: “We have already seen Trump hats and dollars being distributed in Greenland, and there is no doubt that the goal was to influence. This is a long battle that requires us to be constantly vigilant,” adding that “the solution lies in real and tangible Danish investments.”.
Reactions varied in Copenhagen
Conservative Party leader Mona Juul told TV2 that “what is happening is absolutely unacceptable: we are allies and allies are not treated this way,“ demanding a full parliamentary briefing from the government.
Pelle Dragsted, the political spokesperson for the Enhedslisten party, said in an interview with TV2: “This proves that the American plans have not been canceled. The United States is no longer an ally but an adversary that wishes us and Greenland harm.” He added that “the government must review the American military bases in Denmark and arms deals with Washington.”.
Expert analysis
TV2's correspondent in Europe, Jesper Steinmetz, confirmed that the United States is "trying to drive a wedge between Greenland and Denmark," but he explained that "the vast majority of Greenlanders are happy to remain within the Kingdom, and he only met a few who want otherwise.".
According to TV2, researcher Jeanette Serritzlev from the Defense Academy believes that “the current situation involves people seeking to identify both Trump supporters and opponents, which illustrates that the campaigns are complex and diverse.”.
Historical background: From the idea of buying Greenland to the IUD (forced sterilization) issue
The current crisis brings to mind what happened in 2019 when Trump expressed his desire to buy Greenland, which Frederiksen at the time described as “absurd,” leading Trump to cancel his official visit to Copenhagen. In 2020, the United States reopened its consulate in Nuuk and began to intensify its presence in the Arctic.
The crisis also coincided with the resurgence of the Spiralsagen scandal, a case dating back to 1966-1970 when approximately 4,500 women and girls in Greenland, many of them minors, were forcibly inserted without their consent. Today, August 27, 2025, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a joint formal apology, acknowledging the issue as a "source of anger and sadness" and calling for recognition and learning from history. When asked about the timing of the apology, coinciding with the release of the report and the alleged covert US activities in Greenland, Frederiksen stated that it was a coincidence and unintentional, according to local media.
