WASHINGTON, USA – The United States has dismissed Colonel Susannah Meyers from her position as head of the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland after she criticized Washington’s stance on the Arctic island.
Meyers, who had served as the base commander since July 2024, was removed following a controversy sparked by her remarks on US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Greenland.
The US Space Force announced on Thursday, April 10, 2025, that Meyers’ actions were inconsistent with the high standards expected of military commanders, particularly in relation to remaining nonpartisan while performing their duties.
While the official statement did not go into further detail, reports indicated that Meyers distanced herself and the base from Vance’s criticism of Denmark’s governance of Greenland during his March 28 visit.
During his visit, Vice President Vance publicly reprimanded Denmark, claiming that the country had “under-invested” in Greenland and its security infrastructure.
He stated, “You have under-invested in the people of Greenland and you have under-invested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass.”
In response, Meyers sent an email to all personnel at the Pituffik Space Base on March 31, in which she expressed her disapproval of Vance’s comments.
She emphasized the importance of unity among the base personnel, which includes US, Canadian, Danish, and Greenlandic workers, and stressed that Vance’s comments did not reflect the views of the base itself.
“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,” Meyers wrote in the email, which was later relayed to Military.com.
The Pentagon responded swiftly, with spokesman Sean Parnell posting on X that “actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda would not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”
President Trump has consistently argued that the United States must control Greenland for both national and international security purposes and has hinted at the possibility of using force to secure the island.
Meyers’ replacement, Colonel Shawn Lee, has now assumed command of the base, according to the US Space Force.
