During the height of the Cold War the United States built multiple military outposts and bases in Greenland as part of the Distance Early Warning (DEW) Line to defend against a sneak attack by Soviet forces. The presence of these forces (including a secret underground ice base) was not only to act as early detection, but also as area denial.
For decades the US has been pouring money and resources into Greenland, even though it was officially an “autonomous” territory of Denmark. For example, Greenland received yearly subsidies from USAID (until it was shut down) of up to $12 million. Greenland officials talked avidly of strengthening economic ties with the US in 2021 after stopping a Chinese attempt to secure mining rights in the region (the CCP uses resource agreements in weaker countries to gain leverage over their governments).
In the uncertain period after WWII, the American presence was considered practical and was welcomed. It would be unheard of for base commanders in the region to openly question or undermine Presidential efforts to secure Greenland. It would also be especially bizarre for a US commander to express loyalty to Denmark or Greenland over America. However, in 2025 we’re living in the age of military DEI and the now defunct Biden era has left some nasty activist surprises behind.
Vice President JD Vance has been busy in the country to pursue Donald Trump’s interest in bringing back a greater US presence in Greenland or perhaps securing control of the territory outright. This included a tour of the last remaining US base in the region, Pituffik Space Base.
The commander of the base, Colonel Susan Meyers, responded to the visit with an email message to personnel expressing opposition to Vance’s statements during his tour in which he argued that Denmark had left Greenland in an economic doldrums. She also reportedly insinuated concerns that Vance’s visit might have an adverse effect on personnel and their relationships with Greenlanders and Danes that work at the base.
“I 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…I commit that, for as long as I am lucky enough to lead this base, all of our flags will fly proudly — together…”
Meyers, who has been commander of Pituffik Space Base since July of 2024, has subsequently been fired from her post. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell retweeted Military.com’s story on the email and added a screenshot of the announcement of Meyers’ removal.
“Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense,” Parnell wrote on X.
Military leaders are expected to remain non-partisan in their engagements with personnel and foreign interests, but the statements by Meyers reflect the commonly invasive nature of progressive activism. The need to push equity and inclusion rhetoric spread like a virus within the armed forces during the Biden Administration due to DEI programs. It is incumbent upon military personnel to place US interests above all others, not clutch pearls in the name of “equity”. Any disagreements on policy are supposed to be handled internally to prevent fomenting divisions.
Numerous DEI hires within the military have led to embarrassing breaches of protocol, from drag queen TikToks to promote recruitment for the Navy, to Critical Race Theory classes and marketing for up and coming officers, and feminist based promotions for unqualified women into specialized combat units like the Army Rangers. This kind of recruitment is poison to an organization that relies on merit as a foundation for its survival.
Pituffik Space Base is home to the 821st Space Base Group and is responsible for space base support. The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron (12 SWS), which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America. The base is also host to Detachment 1 of the 23rd Space Operations Squadron, part of the Space Delta 6’s global satellite control network. The airfield’s runway handles more than 3,000 US and international flights per year. The base is also home to the northernmost deep water port in the world.
Greenland officials have expressed interest in working more closely with the US but also say they want to keep their autonomy (have their cake and eat it too). Greenland’s economic development is essentially non-existent and with a tiny population of 56,000 people that’s unlikely to change. Denmark has left the nation to flounder economically. A larger American presence could jump-start resource projects including energy and mineral exploration.
It’s difficult to determine what Trump’s true strategy will be for a larger US presence in Greenland, but he has stated that “nothing is off the table”. One thing is certain – Military leaders announcing political proclamations out of turn will not make it any easier for Trump to secure a deal.
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