The head of the US military base located in Greenland, a strategically important Danish territory that has garnered attention from former President Donald Trump, has been dismissed for openly criticizing Washington’s agenda concerning the island. Colonel Susannah Meyers, who had been serving as the commander of the Pituffik Space Base since July, was removed from her position after she reportedly distanced herself and the base from comments made by JD Vance, a US senator, during his visit to the base two weeks prior.
The US Space Force issued a statement on Thursday evening, emphasizing that “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially concerning remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties.” While the statement did not provide further details, military.com reported that Meyers had sent an email to all personnel at Pituffik on March 31. This email was allegedly aimed at fostering unity among the airmen and guardians, as well as with the Canadian, Danish, and Greenlandic personnel working at the base, following Vance’s remarks.
During his visit on March 28, Vance criticized Denmark's governance of Greenland, stating, “Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland. You have under-invested in the people of Greenland and you have under-invested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful land mass.” Meyers, in her email, expressed that she did not wish to engage in current political discussions but emphasized that the concerns raised by Vice President Vance did not reflect the views of the Pituffik Space Base.
In response to the situation, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on social media platform X that “Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.” This statement underscores the importance of political neutrality within military ranks, especially regarding sensitive geopolitical issues.
Former President Trump has consistently voiced the belief that the US must secure control over Greenland for both national and international security purposes. He has even suggested that the use of force could be considered to achieve this objective. Following Meyers' dismissal, the US Space Force announced that she would be succeeded by Colonel Shawn Lee, marking a significant shift in leadership at the strategic military outpost.
