The commander of a U.S. military base in Greenland has been fired after reportedly trying to distance herself from Vice President JD Vance’s controversial comments about Denmark — and it’s causing serious buzz across the military and political worlds.
Colonel Susannah Meyers, who led Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, was removed from her post due to what officials described as a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead,” according to the U.S. Space Operations Command. But behind that official language is a heated story involving a leaked email, politics, and a clash with Trump’s team.
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The drama started after Vance visited Greenland last month and took a swipe at Denmark — which governs the massive Arctic island — saying the country had “not done a good job” for Greenlanders and hadn’t invested enough in regional security. His comments didn’t sit well with many, including, apparently, Col. Meyers.
On March 31, not long after the VP’s visit, Col. Meyers allegedly sent out an email to base personnel saying Vance’s remarks weren’t reflective of the views of Pituffik Space Base. “I do not presume to understand current politics,” she wrote, “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.”
That email was published by Military.com, which said its contents had been verified by the U.S. Space Force. Once the message got out, the fallout was quick. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell even shared the article on X, commenting: “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 Pentagon didn’t mince words either. In its official statement, the Space Force said Col. Meyers had been replaced by Col. Shawn Lee and reminded all commanders to stay nonpartisan. “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 statement read.
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It all comes amid growing tension between the U.S. and Denmark over Greenland’s future. During his visit, Vance doubled down on Trump’s long-standing interest in annexing the island — something both Denmark and Greenland firmly oppose.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently visited Greenland and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its current and former leaders. Speaking directly to Trump, she said, “You can’t annex other countries,” and reaffirmed Denmark’s plans to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic.
Although Greenland has the right to declare independence from Denmark — a right granted in 2009 — polls show that while most Greenlanders support breaking away from Denmark eventually, they have no interest in becoming part of the U.S.
Now, with a high-ranking U.S. officer fired and political tensions flaring, the situation surrounding America’s Arctic ambitions just got a whole lot messier.
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