OSLO (Reuters) -Denmark’s foreign minister has summoned the most senior diplomat at the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen over reports U.S. citizens have been conducting influence operations in Greenland, public broadcaster DR reported on Wednesday, citing the minister.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the minerals-rich and strategically located Arctic island for reasons of national and international security, and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.
The Danish government believes at least three U.S. citizens with ties to the Trump administration have been involved in covert influence operations in the Danish territory, DR reported, citing unnamed sources.
The broadcaster did not name the individuals.
“Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the kingdom (of Denmark) will of course be unacceptable,” Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen was quoted as telling DR.
“In this light, I have asked the ministry of foreign affairs to summon the American charge d’affaires (diplomat) for a conversation,” the minister said.
The U.S. mission in Copenhagen is currently led by Charge d’affaires Mark Stroh, it said on its website. The embassy could not immediately be reached for comment outside of office hours.
The Danish Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Helen Popper)
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