U.S. envoy Mark Stroh arrives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen, Denmark on Wednesday, 27 August 2025. Image Credit: Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP
(The Post News) – Earlier this week, President Donald Trump was accused of covertly influencing Danish affairs. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has since summoned the top U.S. envoy to address these alarming allegations.
On 27 August, Danish public broadcaster DR reported that eight sources in Greenland allege at least three Americans with ties to Trump were involved in influence campaigns in Greenland aimed at swaying public and political opinion within Denmark.
According to reports, one individual allegedly compiled lists of Danish politicians and business leaders deemed favourable to U.S. interests while identifying those opposed to Trump. The others were said to have nurtured contacts with influential figures and local communities to bolster American influence.
Minister Rasmussen described the revelations as “not surprising,” noting that foreign actors have previously shown interest in Greenland and the wider Kingdom of Denmark. He emphasised that any attempts to interfere in Denmark’s internal affairs are “unacceptable”; therefore, he has requested to meet the Chargé d’Affaires, top U.S. envoy Mark Stroh.
Although Denmark and the U.S. maintain a close relationship as NATO allies, trust has been fragmented since Trump repeatedly expressed interest in U.S. control over Greenland, despite Danish officials and politicians strongly rejecting this idea. President Trump also stated earlier this year that he would not rule out seizing Greenland by force.
US Envoy Responds to Allegations
The State Department initially refrained from responding to the influence campaign allegations. However, they later told Danish officials to “calm down” and confirmed that the U.S. envoy, Mark Stroh, had met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for discussions.
The envoy reportedly stressed that the U.S. cannot answer for the actions of private citizens and emphasised that these activities do not necessarily reflect directives from the U.S. government. Overall, the meeting was described as “productive,” with Stroh emphasising the longstanding alliance between Denmark and the United States.
Envoy Stroh also reiterated that the U.S. respects “the right of the people of Greenland to determine their own future.”
Although the meeting appears to have eased tensions, Jens Ladefoged Mortensen of the University of Copenhagen described it as an unprecedented “diplomatic yellow card,” marking a low point in the relationship of the two allies.
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