Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly criticized the United States following reports that American intelligence agencies have increased their surveillance activities in Greenland—a semi-autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty. Frederiksen emphasized the violation of trust between allies, stating, “You cannot spy against an ally.”
The remarks came amid growing tensions between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States, fueled by former President Donald Trump’s open interest in acquiring Greenland, a resource-rich island with significant strategic value in the Arctic. Both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected any notion that the island is for sale, while Trump has controversially left the possibility of military action on the table despite Denmark being a NATO member.
Frederiksen addressed the issue on Friday, a day after Denmark summoned the senior U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen to demand clarification. This move followed a Wall Street Journal report alleging that senior officials within the U.S. intelligence community, led by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, had instructed agencies to gather more information about Greenland’s independence movement and public opinion on U.S. involvement in local resource extraction.
Jennifer Hall Godfrey, the acting U.S. ambassador in Denmark, met with Danish senior official Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen at the Foreign Ministry. The meeting was confirmed by the ministry, though no additional details were released. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment.
Frederiksen downplayed the report as “rumors” published in an international outlet, but reinforced her point that trust and cooperation in security matters, particularly in northern Europe, must be respected. “Cooperation about defense and deterrence and security in the northern part of Europe is getting more and more important,” she said. “Of course, you cannot spy against an ally.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also responded strongly, telling local newspaper Sermitsiaq that any espionage against Greenland is both unacceptable and deeply disrespectful.
The issue has also drawn attention from other Nordic leaders. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, speaking after a security summit in Norway, said there’s “no question” that the pressure Denmark and Greenland are facing is troubling. Leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic regions, as well as the U.K., were present, with officials from Greenland and the Faroe Islands joining remotely.
Responding to inquiries about the U.S. surveillance reports, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s office released a statement focusing on unauthorized leaks rather than the surveillance itself. Gabbard condemned what she described as illegal disclosures from the intelligence community and accused the Wall Street Journal of aiding political sabotage. “They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy,” she wrote, adding that leakers would be pursued and held accountable.
Greenland’s leadership has expressed growing frustration in recent months over how the U.S. has approached the territory. Just weeks ago, Prime Minister Nielsen reaffirmed Greenland’s sovereignty, saying it is not “a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre added his voice to the concerns, warning against any attempts to reinterpret legal norms in the Arctic. “Those who believe there is another kind of legal regime in the Arctic should be told this is not the case,” he said ahead of a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force leaders in Oslo. “Law applies. Sovereignty applies. And Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
