Denmark has taken the extraordinary step of summoning the United States Ambassador in Copenhagen, Alan Leventhal, to answer for a stunning covert operation. The scheme, allegedly orchestrated by a private intelligence firm staffed with former aides to Donald Trump, aimed to manipulate Greenlandic politics and resurrect the former President's audacious plan to purchase the Arctic island.
The Danish foreign ministry confirmed the highly unusual diplomatic rebuke, stating the meeting was to convey its "deep concern" over the actions of the company, Arctic Interest. The firm is reported to have embarked on a clandestine campaign to sway local opinion and policymakers in Greenland, a vast autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The Covert Campaign Unveiled
According to an investigation by Denmark's public broadcaster DR, the operation involved a multi-pronged approach. Agents from Arctic Interest, which boasts several ex-Trump administration officials, are accused of:
- Covert Lobbying: Secretly meeting with Greenland's civil servants and politicians to promote American business interests and Trump's acquisition plan.
- Influence Operations: Working to turn local opinion against Chinese investment in the island's vast natural resources and critical infrastructure.
- Strategic Targeting: Focusing efforts on key figures within Greenland's political and administrative circles to build a pro-US consensus.
The goal, it appears, was to pave the way for a renewed attempt to acquire Greenland, an idea Trump publicly floated in 2019 but was swiftly and emphatically dismissed by the Danish government as "absurd".
A Severe Diplomatic Breach
The revelation has sent shockwaves through diplomatic channels in Copenhagen. For a close NATO ally to be implicated in a covert influence campaign on its soil is considered a profound breach of trust.
"This is completely unacceptable," a source within the Danish foreign ministry was quoted as saying. The clandestine nature of the operation, conducted without the knowledge or consent of Danish authorities, has been labelled a serious violation of diplomatic norms and bilateral relations.
The Danish government has emphasised that while it welcomes transparent foreign investment and cooperation, it will not tolerate shadowy lobbying efforts designed to undermine the sovereignty and political processes of Greenland.
The US State Department has sought to distance itself from the actions of the private firm, clarifying that Arctic Interest's activities were not sanctioned by the American government. However, the incident is likely to cast a lingering shadow over US-Denmark relations and raises sharp questions about the use of private intelligence actors in international geopolitics.
