US fires Greenland base commander after JD Vance visit

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free

Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world

The US has sacked the commander of its military base in Greenland over her alleged attempts to “subvert President Trump’s agenda” after hosting the American vice-president on the Arctic island.  

Colonel Susannah Meyers was removed as commander of the Pituffik Space Base late on Thursday after reports that she had sent an email critical of vice-president JD Vance’s visit to the island last month.

“Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense,” chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X.

Parnell linked to a report by a military outlet that Meyers had sent an email to all personnel on the base days after Vance’s visit saying that she would keep the US, Danish and Greenlandic flags flying despite the vice-president’s sharp criticism of Copenhagen. 

“I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the US administration discussed by vice-president Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base,” the email sent on March 31 said, according to military.com. 

Greenland has been thrust into the geopolitical spotlight after President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he intends to take over the Arctic island of 57,000 people from Denmark and has refused to rule out using force to do so. 

The US has had a military presence on Greenland since the second world war but that had dwindled from a peak of about 15,000 troops and more than a dozen bases to about 150 personnel and just the one base at Pituffik. 

Meyers’ removal from Space Operations Command was due to “loss of confidence in her ability to lead”, according to its communications department. “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining non-partisan in the performance of their duties.”

Colonel Shawn Lee has replaced Meyers, the statement added.

Democrats and legal experts have expressed concern about the number of US officials being removed from government office due to criticism of Trump and his administration. 

Both Denmark and Greenland have said they were willing to work with the US to improve security on the island and in the Arctic. 

But Denmark, a Nato ally, has publicly criticised Vance’s visit and Trump’s rhetoric, saying that the future of the island is solely for Greenlanders to decide. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory in the kingdom of Denmark.

A new coalition government was formed earlier this month following elections in which pro-independence parties gained traction. But the party leading the coalition, Demokraatit, seeks a slower path to independence, potentially dashing US hopes that a quick break from Denmark could bring Greenland closer to it. 

Greenland is keen to have US investment in its nascent mining and tourism industries, and many officials concede it is all but impossible to defend the island without America.