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The commander of the US military base in Greenland, Colonel Susannah Meyers, has been relieved of her duties following an email in which she reportedly distanced herself from Vice-President JD Vance’s criticism of Denmark.
The U.S. military’s Space Operations Command announced her removal, citing a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead.” She was stationed at Pituffik Space Base, a key U.S. military installation in the Arctic.
Vice-President Vance’s Criticism of Greenland
The controversy stems from remarks made by Vice-President Vance during his recent trip to Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Vance criticized Denmark for not investing enough in Arctic security, stating that the country had “not done a good job” for Greenlanders.
His comments prompted backlash from both Danish and Greenlandic leaders, who have emphasized their commitment to maintaining security in the region.
The Email That Led to the Firing
Following Vance’s trip, on March 31, Col. Meyers reportedly sent an email to base personnel clarifying that Vance’s statements did not reflect the views of Pituffik Space Base.
“I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice-President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base,” Meyers wrote in the email, as reported by Military.com.
The news outlet confirmed the authenticity of the email through U.S. Space Force sources.
Pentagon Response and Confirmation
Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesperson, appeared to confirm that the email played a role in Meyers’ dismissal. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Parnell linked to the Military.com article and stated, “Actions [that] undermine the chain of command or to subvert President [Donald] Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”
The U.S. Space Force has since named Col. Shawn Lee as the new commander of Pituffik Space Base.
“Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties,” the Space Force’s statement read.
Trump Administration’s Greenland Agenda
During his visit, Vice-President Vance also reaffirmed President Trump’s long-standing interest in acquiring Greenland for U.S. strategic purposes.
Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any notion of a U.S. annexation of the island. Earlier this month, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made an official visit to Greenland, where she stood alongside Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and his predecessor Mute Egede to emphasize their unified stance.
“You can’t annex other countries,” Frederiksen told reporters in a direct message to President Trump. She also announced Denmark’s commitment to strengthening its military presence in the Arctic and proposed closer defense collaboration with the U.S.
Greenland Independence Movement
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been under Danish control for about 300 years. While polls indicate that most Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark, they do not wish to become part of the U.S.
Since 2009, Greenland has had the right to hold an independence referendum. In recent years, some political parties have pushed for such a vote, though no date has been set.
