US removes commander in Greenland following Vance’s controversial visit
CNN
The US announced it removed the commander of the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Thursday because of a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead,” after Vice President JD Vance’s controversial visit to the semiautonomous island last month.
The US announced it removed the commander of the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Thursday because of a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead,” after Vice President JD Vance’s controversial visit to the semiautonomous island last month. “Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote in a statement posted to X on Thursday announcing the removal of Susannah Meyers. Following Vance’s visit to the island in late March, Military.com reported that Meyers sent out an email to the space base pushing back on the vice president’s actions and comments during the trip. Parnell included a link to the Military.com story in his X post. The news site reported the ousted commander wrote in an email, “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.” Colonel Shawn Lee took over Meyers’ position, according to a press release from the Space Operations Command. The removal highlights continued moves for United States control over Greenland as President Donald Trump has vowed to acquire the land “one way or another,” and Vance has repeatedly claimed the island is vulnerable and that the US had “no other option” than to ramp up its presence there.
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