The United States has stepped up intelligence gathering on Greenland. This may be related to Washington's plans to acquire the island, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing its sources.
According to their information, last week senior National Intelligence officials sent a secret order to American intelligence agencies. The document, addressed to the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and other agencies, orders a survey of sentiment in Greenland regarding independence and possible resource extraction by the United States. Particular attention is paid to finding supporters of Washington.
This directive was one of the first steps of the US administration, clearly aimed at implementing US President Donald Trump's plans to establish control over the island, the publication notes. The newspaper is convinced that such actions show the seriousness of the American leader's intentions.
“The President clearly expressed his concern about the security of Greenland and the Arctic“, said White House National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt to the publication, refusing to comment on details. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard herself accused the newspaper of “disclosure of classified information“, calling the publication “undermining security“.
The American leader has stated several times that Greenland, an autonomous region within Denmark, should join the United States. He did not rule out the possibility of using military force to resolve the issue. A public opinion poll conducted in Greenland in January found that only 6% of the island's population favored joining the United States. During his first term as president, Trump proposed buying Greenland. The Danish and Greenlandic authorities rejected the idea.