The head of a US military base in Greenland was fired after she reportedly sent an email distancing herself from Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of Denmark.
The US military’s Space Operations Command said Kol Susanna Myers has been removed from her role at Pitafik Space Station due to “loss of trust in her capabilities.”
Last month, Vance said Denmark “doesn’t do a good job” for the Greenlanders and that he hasn’t spent enough security while visiting Danish territory.
A suspicious email released by a military news site said Staff Vance’s comments were “not reflexive” for the base. A Pentagon spokesman cited the article, saying US leadership is “weakened” as unacceptable.
Following Vance’s trip on March 31, Colonel Myers reportedly wrote: “I don’t assume I understand politics at the moment, but what I know is that the concerns of the US administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday do not reflect the Pitafik space station.”
Military.com – published an email – said the contents have been confirmed to be accurate to them by US space forces.
It appears to confirm this is the reason for her firing, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell linked an article on Military.com in an X post. [that] Weak the chain of orders or overturn the president [Donald] Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated by the Department of Defense. ”
A Space Force statement that announced the removal of Colonel Myers on Thursday said Colonel Shawn Lee had replaced her.
“Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as they are related to remaining independent in the performance of their duties.”
Colonel Myers had assumed the Arctic order last July. Lee Lee was previously the squadron commander at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska.
During the whirlwind trip, Vance also repeated Trump’s desire to annex Greenland for security reasons.
Since the visit of the US delegation, both Greenland and Denmark have shown a united front, opposing the US annexation of autonomous Danish territory.
Earlier this month, Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericken’s official visit saw her position alongside her Greenlandic Jens Frederick Nielsen and his predecessor Mute Eged.
Speaking to reporters, Fredericksen spoke directly to Trump, saying, “We cannot annex other countries.”
She added that Denmark is strengthening its military presence in the Arctic, and that it provided close cooperation with the US to protect the region.
The United States has long maintained Greenland’s security interests as a strategically important area. After Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during World War II, there was a military presence on the island.
“If Russia sends missiles to the US, the shortest route for nuclear weapons will be through the Arctic and Greenland,” Marc Jacobsen, an associate professor at the Danish National Defense University, told the BBC previously.
“That’s why Pituffik’s space base is extremely important in protecting the United States.”
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been under Danish rule for about 300 years.
The majority of Greenlanders want to gain independence from Denmark, but don’t want to be part of the US, according to polls.
Greenland has had the right to call an independence referendum since 2009, but in recent years some political parties have begun to push hard.
