- The head of the US Space Force’s Greenland base has been fired, Space Operations Command said Thursday.
- Colonel Susannah Meyers was removed from her position after a “loss of confidence,” a statement said.
- It comes after Meyers reportedly distanced herself from Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of Denmark.
The commander of a US Space Force base in Greenland has been fired following a recent visit by Vice President JD Vance.
In a statement Thursday, the military’s Space Operations Command said Meyers had been removed from her position at the Danish territory’s Pituffik Space Base due to a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead.”
“Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties,” it said, adding that Colonel Shawn Lee had now taken command.
In a post on X, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell shared an image of the SOC’s statement along with a link to a Military.com article that reported Meyers had distanced herself from Vance’s recent criticism of how Denmark manages the territory in an email to base personnel.
On March 31, days after Vance’s trip to the island, Meyers is reported to have emailed staff saying, “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.”
“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, appearing to confirm the reason for Meyers’ dismissal.
JIM WATSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Vance visited the Pituffik Space Base during a trip to Greenland in March, where he made a series of controversial comments accusing Denmark of underinvesting in Greenland’s security and echoing President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the territory would be better off under US control.
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Trump told Congress last month that the US would acquire Greenland “one way or the other” and has not ruled out using military force, despite Denmark being a longtime ally and a member of NATO.
An opinion poll earlier this year found that the majority of Greenlanders oppose the idea of becoming part of the US.
Business Insider has contacted the Pentagon for comment.
