Col Susannah Meyers, the head of the US military base in Greenland, has been removed from her position after publicly criticizing Washington’s agenda for the Arctic island, following a visit from JD Vance two weeks prior.
Meyers, who had been serving as the commander of the Pituffik space base since July, was dismissed amid reports that she distanced herself and the base from comments made by US Vice President Vance about Denmark’s oversight of Greenland.
Greenland has its own government but remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which previously ruled the territory as a colony and still controls its foreign and defense policies.
The previous US administration, led by Donald Trump, had shown interest in acquiring the island, with Trump even suggesting that military or economic force could be considered to achieve that aim.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the US Space Force announced Meyers’ removal, citing a “loss of confidence” in her ability to effectively lead.
The statement emphasized, “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties.”
While further details were not disclosed, Military.com reported that Meyers sent an email to all personnel at Pituffik on March 31, seemingly intended to foster unity among the service members, Canadians, Danes, and Greenlanders working at the base in the aftermath of Vance’s remarks.
During his visit to the base on March 28, Vance expressed the necessity for the US to gain control over the Arctic island as a means to counter potential threats from China and Russia.
He criticized Denmark, stating that it had “not done a good job by the people of Greenland.”
The original delegation for the visit was to be led by Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, who had plans to visit Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital, and attend a dog sled race in Sisimiut.
However, the visit’s schedule was significantly altered after concerns arose regarding the timing, given that the new coalition government had yet to be officially sworn in.
During a press conference at the base, Vance did not hold back, stating, “Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland.
You have underinvested in the people of Greenland and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful land mass.”
In her email, Meyers stated, “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 Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, remarked on social media platform X, asserting that “actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”
Trump had advocated for the need to assert US control over Greenland for both national and international security purposes.
The US Space Force confirmed that Col Shawn Lee would replace Meyers as commander of the Pituffik space base.
Meyers’ removal appears to be part of a broader trend of purging high-ranking military officials aligned with the Trump administration.
Other notable examples of this include Air Force Gen Tim Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency, and V Adm Shoshana Chatfield, who served with NATO.
Joe Kasper, the chief of staff at the US Department of Defense, reinforced the principle of civilian control over the military, stating: “Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Defense Department.”
The Danish defense department has declined to comment on the situation.
The Pituffik space base has also been contacted for further comments.
image source from：https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/col-susannah-meyers-head-of-us-military-base-greenland-fired-after-jd-vance-visit
