Greenland Base Commander Removed After Vice Presidential Visit

The commander of the U.S. military's Pituffik base in Greenland has been relieved of her duties. This action follows a visit by Vice President JD Vance, which sparked controversy.

Colonel Susannah Meyers, according to reports from Military.com, sent an email to base staff. In the email, she distanced herself from the Vice President's visit. This occurred amidst growing pressure from the White House to potentially acquire the mineral-rich Arctic island from Denmark.

The Pentagon's lead spokesman, Sean Parnell, did not provide a specific reason for Meyers' removal. However, he did post on X, linking to the Military.com article. His post stated that actions undermining the chain of command or subverting President Trump's agenda would not be tolerated within the Department of Defense.

Vice President Vance's visit to the base on March 28th was part of a U.S. delegation. This followed repeated statements from Trump expressing interest in controlling the island. During the visit, Vance criticized Denmark's management of Greenland, claiming the island would be safer under U.S. control.

Vance's remarks drew criticism from Greenlanders, Danish citizens, and politicians. The Danish foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, expressed disapproval of the Vice President's comments. Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, reiterated that Greenland is not for sale in response to Trump's previous statements. The prime minister is focused on Greenland achieving independence from Denmark through economic self-reliance.