House Power Col. Susan Meyers, commander of Pituffik House Base in Greenland, despatched out a base-wide electronic mail after a go to by Vice President J.D. Vance final month that undermined President Donald Trump’s place on the territory of Greenland as an important nationwide safety curiosity being mismanaged by Denmark that might do higher below america, in line with a scoop by Military.com reporter Thomas Novelly published Thursday afternoon.
The go to by the vp on March 28 was initially deliberate as a visit by Second Woman Usha Vance and some Trump cupboard officers to attend a dogsled race however was modified after pushback by Greenland officers. Vance was added to his spouse’s journey and the itinerary was modified to only a go to to Pituffik House Base the place he made remarks that have been later distanced from by Col. Meyers in her electronic mail to base personnel.
Col. Susan Meyers, the commander of the 821st House Base Group who additionally oversees the Pentagon’s northernmost navy base, despatched a March 31 message to all personnel at Pituffik seemingly geared toward producing unity among the many airmen and Guardians, in addition to the Canadians, Danes and Greenlanders who work there, following Vance’s look. She wrote that she “spent the weekend occupied with Friday’s go to — the actions taken, the phrases spoken, and the way it should have affected every of you.”
“I don’t presume to grasp present politics, however what I do know is the issues of the U.S. administration mentioned by Vice President Vance on Friday should not reflective of Pituffik House Base,” Meyers wrote within the electronic mail, which was communicated to Army.com.
…”I commit that, for so long as I’m fortunate sufficient to guide this base, all of our flags will fly proudly — collectively,” Meyers’ electronic mail message to the bottom learn.
…Division of Protection Chief of Workers Joe Kasper informed Army.com in an emailed assertion that “civilian management of the navy is a bedrock precept of our armed forces. Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda won’t be tolerated on the Protection Division.”
Excerpts from V.P. Vance’s remarks that apparently triggered Col. Meyers:
REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT VANCE
TO U.S. TROOPS AT PITUFFIK SPACE BASE
Pituffik House Base
Avannaata Municipality, Greenland
(March 28, 2025)
…And let me say simply a few different issues, after which we’ll take some questions from the reporters.
So, primary, I thi- — I feel lots of Individuals surprise, why does Greenland matter a lot? Why does the mission of this base matter a lot to the American folks? And I realized so much about that at present myself.
After all, you may examine it in a guide, however I noticed it up shut and private. And if — God forbid, to my fellow Individuals, if a missile was fired from an enemy nation or an enemy submarine into america, it’s the folks right here earlier than us who would give discover to our courageous women and men additional south in america to let folks know what was coming and, God prepared, to attempt to shoot it down and put together for it. That’s one of many issues that we do at insta- — installations like this.
We all know that Russia and China and different nations are taking a unprecedented curiosity in Arctic passageways and Arctic naval routes and, certainly, within the minerals of the Arctic territories. We have to be certain that America is main within the Arctic, as a result of we all know that if America doesn’t, different nations will fill the hole the place we fall behind.
So, what you guys do is so critically essential. I feel lots of Individuals — definitely, I didn’t understand it absolutely till President Trump began speaking concerning the significance of our Arctic mission, about constructing upon it and guaranteeing that America can lead within the Arctic for the subsequent era.
And now, I — I need to discuss, after all, the interplay and what Denmark, I feel, has executed — and typically in partnership with us — however let’s be trustworthy, what Denmark, during the last 20 years, has didn’t do in some instances — as a result of we all know that, sadly, this place, this base, the encompassing space is much less safe than it was 30, 40, years in the past, as a result of a few of our allies haven’t stored up.
As China and Russia have taken larger and larger curiosity in Greenland, on this base, within the actions of the courageous Individuals proper right here, we all know that too typically our allies in Europe haven’t stored tempo. They haven’t stored tempo with navy spending, and Denmark has not stored tempo in devoting the sources essential to hold this base, to maintain our troops, and, for my part, to maintain the folks of Greenland secure from lots of very aggressive incursions from Russia, from China, and from different nations.
Now, President Trump, as he says on a regular basis and as lots of people acknowledge, is a president of peace. We need to have good relationships with all people; that features even, to the extent doable, the Chinese language and the Russians. However a part of having good relations is exhibiting your energy when it’s a must to.
And, sadly, the story of Greenland over the previous 20 years, in relation to safety, is that we’ve underinvested within the infrastructure, we’ve underinvested within the safety structure, and we’ve underinvested within the courageous women and men who’re doing a really laborious job, as Mike mentioned, to maintain all of us secure. That has to vary.
…Our message to Denmark could be very easy: You haven’t executed job by the folks of Greenland, you have got underinvested within the folks of Greenland, and you’ve got underinvested within the safety structure of this unimaginable, lovely landmass crammed with unimaginable folks. That has to vary.
And since it hasn’t modified, that is why President Trump’s coverage in Greenland is what it’s. It’s in step with the primary Trump Administration, the place you noticed vital investments in Arctic safety, and it’ll proceed over the subsequent 4 years below President Trump’s management.
And let me, lastly, earlier than I kick it over to the media, make one remark concerning the folks of Greenland. I — I — you realize the colonel right here, the bottom commander, who got here right here first as a second lieutenant — and I assume, Colonel, that is your second responsibility station right here, and we’re — we’re happy with you and happy with all of you guys who’re serving and serving to hold us secure.
