US military dismisses Greenland base commander after Vance visit
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Commander of Pituffik base in Greenland Col. Susannah Meyers was removed from her post after she distanced herself from the Vice President's comments supporting Trump’s agenda.
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US Space Force Col. Susan Meyers, left, greets Vice President JD Vance at Pituffik Base, Greenland, March 28, 2025. (US Space Force photo, Jaime Sanchez)
The US military removed Colonel Susannah Meyers from her position as commander of the Pituffik base in Greenland, with a statement from the US Space Force emphasizing that any actions undermining President Trump’s agenda would not be tolerated.
While the military did not provide specific reasons for her dismissal, it was revealed that Meyers had sent a message to distance herself from Vice President JD Vance’s remarks during his March 28 visit to the base, which were aligned with Trump’s push for taking over Greenland.
The decision to remove Col. Susannah Meyers was announced in a statement by the US Space Force that was posted on social media by Sean Parnell, the chief spokesman for the Pentagon.
Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump's agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) April 11, 2025
⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/ITFeGw0kUf pic.twitter.com/MO68aje1X2
Parnell’s post contained a link to an article by Military.com, an independent news organization, that said Col. Meyers had sent an email to base staff, which include, in addition to US military personnel, civilian contractors from Greenland, Denmark, and Canada who live and work at the base, distancing herself from Vice President JD Vance’s visit on March 28.
She wrote that she "spent the weekend thinking about Friday's visit – the actions taken, the words spoken, and how it must have affected each of you."
"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 added.
Parnell said that “actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated.”
The Space Force made a statement saying, “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties.”
Trump has dismissed other high-profile military leaders since he took office in January, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, the Navy's top leader Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife.
Vance criticizes Denmark
Vance criticized Denmark in a speech last March to the staff at Pituffik, alleging the country wasn’t contributing enough to ensure the region’s security. In response, Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said, “This is not how you speak to your close allies.” Vance further criticized Denmark, claiming that incursions by China and Russia had put the territory at risk.
Vance's visit to the base was part of Trump’s push to take over Greenland, an island that is a semiautonomous part of Denmark, citing alleged national security reasons.
One proposal being considered is to offer Greenland's government a more attractive deal than Denmark's current arrangement, which provides approximately $600 million annually in subsidies for services on the island.
Internal planning indicates that the Trump administration’s aspirations to acquire Greenland extend beyond the president’s casual remarks and are starting to be incorporated into official government policy.
