- The base commander of a U.S. Space Force base in Greenland was fired on Thursday.
- Her removal came after she sent out a mass email distancing herself from Vice President JD Vance.
- Col. Susannah Meyers has been replaced by Col. Shawn Lee.
The Pentagon announced Friday that the commander of the U.S. Space Force base in Greenland has been fired, following a mass email she sent distancing herself from comments made by Vice President JD Vance.
Vance, and a delegation from the U.S. including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, visited Pituffik Space Base during a trip to Greenland at the end of March, per The New York Times.
During the visit, Vance spoke to base personnel and criticized Denmark’s treatment of Greenlanders.
“Our message to Denmark is very simple, you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland. You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security of this incredible, beautiful landmass,” Vance said, according to Fox News.
After Vance visited at the end of March, Col. Susannah Meyers sent an email to base personnel, which read, “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,” according to Fox News.
Meyers was fired on Thursday, and Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesperson, made the announcement by posting a statement on X.
Along with the statement, Parnell wrote, “Actions to undermine the chain of command or to subvert President Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”
Parnell’s post contained a link to an article from Military.com, which published the email from Meyers. This seemingly confirmed that Meyers was fired because of the email.
The statement also said, “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties.”
Military personnel have strict rules when it comes to political statements and activities in order to maintain clear civilian control of the military, a foundational principle of democratic societies.
Col. Shawn Lee will be replacing Meyers as the base commander, per BBC. Lee previously served as squadron commander at the Clear Space Force Station in Alaska. Meyers began her position as base commander last July.
During his remarks at the base, Vance also accused Denmark of not doing enough to keep Greenland safe from China and Russia, per Fox News.
Vance is the highest-ranking official to ever visit the Pituffik base.