Pentagon fires Greenland base commander after she criticized JD Vance visit

The U.S. military announced Thursday it had removed Col. Susannah Meyers, commander of its Pituffik base in Greenland, stating it would not tolerate any pushback against President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Meyers sent an email to base personnel on March 31 distancing herself from U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit three days prior, according to the independent news organization Military.com.

In her message, Meyers said she had spent the weekend reflecting on how Vance’s remarks might have affected those stationed at the base, amid a pressure campaign from the White House directed toward acquiring the massive Arctic island from Denmark.

“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 wrote in the email.

“I commit that, for as long as I am lucky enough to lead this base, all of our flags will fly proudly — together,” the message added.

Late Thursday in the U.S., the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that Meyers had been removed from her post, explaining that “actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated.”

Parnell did not specify the reason for the dismissal in his statement, but included a link to the Military.com article.

Vance traveled to the Pituffik military base with a U.S. delegation on March 28, amid repeated threats from Trump to seize Greenland, a self-ruling Danish territory rich in critical minerals and situated in a key strategic Arctic location.

During the visit, Vance criticized Denmark’s management of Greenland, suggesting that the territory would be safer under U.S. protection due to perceived threats from China and Russia. He argued that Denmark had underinvested in Greenland’s security and infrastructure, and advocated for U.S. control over the territory.

Following the visit, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said: “We are open to criticisms, but let me be completely honest, we do not appreciate the tone in which it’s being delivered.”

Greenland’s new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, has also said Greenland is not for sale and has called Trump’s aggressive overtures “a threat to our political independence.”