The White House told Denmark to “calm down” after officials in Copenhagen summoned the United States’ top diplomat there over allegations Americans have been trying to manipulate public opinion in Greenland.
The Danish allegations first emerged in an investigation by Denmark’s public broadcaster DR, which reported on Aug. 27 that at least three Americans had sought to sway public attitudes in favor of President Donald Trump’s stated desire to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.
Greenland is a Danish territory. Surveys show that while some Greenlanders are frustrated by Danish rule and want more economic cooperation with the United States, they firmly oppose becoming part of the United States.
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DR’s report alleged that the Americans, none of whom were named, tried to shift opinion in Greenland by forming relationships with local politicians, business chiefs and community leaders. One of the Americans, DR’s report said, compiled a list of potential allies and opponents of Trump’s wish to annex Greenland.
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Trump has not commented on the reports or Denmark’s reaction. But a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “We think the Danes need to calm down.” That comment came after Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned Mark Stroh, the top U.S. diplomat in Denmark, for an explanation about the report.
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In the wake of that meeting, the U.S. State Department said Stroh had a “productive conversation” with Danish foreign ministry officials. The department also noted that Trump and his top aides had all said they respect “the right of the people of Greenland to determine their own future.” It declined to comment on what it described as the actions of “private U.S. citizens in Greenland.” DR’s report did not conclude whether the Americans alleged to have been working in Greenland on behalf of Trump’s agenda did so at their own initiative or were formally directed by another party.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White House tells Denmark to ‘calm down’ amid Greenland report
