U.S. President Donald Trump has openly talked about about making Canada the 51st state.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Marcus Kolga is the founder of DisinfoWatch and a senior fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
Denmark’s national broadcaster published allegations last month that the Trump administration had been running a clandestine influence operation to undermine Greenland’s sovereignty. If true, it would mark the inversion of America’s historic role from bulwark of democracy and defender of free nations to an authoritarian-style predator, turning Kremlin-grade propaganda and wedge-driving against a NATO ally. And if Washington is willing to try it with Denmark, what should Canadians expect next?
According to the report, three operatives with close ties to the Trump administration travelled to Greenland to recruit and cultivate pro-secession activists, compiling lists designed to spark a movement to break the territory away from Copenhagen. Denmark’s foreign minister immediately summoned the U.S. ambassador, calling the alleged interference “unacceptable” – a diplomatic understatement. Such operations by design rip at the fabric of trust that holds democratic allies together. The Kremlin has spent years perfecting this method: identify or invent divisions, then press on them with information and influence operations until they fracture to its advantage.
Donald Trump’s fixation on Greenland is not a passing curiosity. In 2019 he proposed “buying” it; when reminded that “Greenland is not for sale,” he cancelled a state visit in a tantrum. Greenland is located along strategically important Arctic shipping lanes and holds significant mineral resources. By December, 2024, Mr. Trump was calling “ownership and control” of the island “an absolute necessity” for U.S. security. By May, 2025, he refused to rule out coercion, declaring, “We need Greenland very badly.” His son’s MAGA-branded stop in Nuuk suggested a clear and co-ordinated campaign to undermine an ally.
Greenlanders are not fooled. A January poll found that 85 per cent reject becoming part of the United States, a resounding barrier to Mr. Trump’s ambitions and one that may well have driven the alleged clandestine influence operations his administration is accused of authorizing.
Denmark summons U.S. diplomat after report of Greenland influence campaigns
B.C. legislator enraged by American state senator’s pitch to voluntarily become the 51st state
Why should Canadians care? Because the same toolkit of provocation, disinformation and grievance amplification can be deployed here just as easily. Mr. Trump has openly mused about making Canada the 51st U.S. state, and his network of MAGA-aligned influencers, including conspiracy peddlers with vast online followings, have already demonstrated that they’re eager to stoke separatist flames if it humiliates Ottawa and advances MAGA interests. Leaders of a current Alberta separatist group have actively sought and received attention in the U.S. capital, boasting of sympathetic ears and fantasizing about American “facilitation” of their cause. Whether officials in the Trump administration offered anything tangible or not, the message is unmistakable: the cohesion of our country is a tempting target.
Nor is Canada a stranger to such foreign information operations. Our authoritarian adversaries in Moscow, Beijing and Tehran have long targeted our public square. In 2019, Russia tried to amplify and legitimize the fringe Alberta “Wexit” separatist movement, with little success.
In the past, such operations have sought to influence Canadian public policy, from denying China’s genocide against the Uyghur minority to promoting Kremlin-aligned narratives toward Canadians of Ukrainian and Baltic heritage. The objective remains the same: to undermine our democracy and weaken the cohesion of our society. It would not be surprising if a White House captivated by expansionist ambitions were to employ similar methods for its own purposes.
We must treat the Greenland revelations as a clear warning sign. Ottawa must act on three fronts. First, work with Copenhagen and Nuuk to harden Arctic security and share intelligence on influence operations before they metastasize. Second, Canada must fortify our domestic defences. This includes requiring transparency for all foreign-linked political activity through a foreign influence transparency registry; holding social media platforms accountable for monetizing rage and enabling foreign information warfare by enacting a Canadian version of Europe’s Digital Services Act and aligning enforcement with our European allies; and investing in independent local media in communities most vulnerable to polarization. Third, the federal government must speak plainly with Canadians about the constitutional, economic and sovereignty costs of separatism so that outside agitators, whether draped in a Kremlin flag or a MAGA hat, are left gasping for oxygen.
The tactics allegedly used against Greenland could just as easily be directed at us, targeting regional grievances and exploiting political divisions. Canada’s stability, borders and alliances depend on resisting such efforts before they take root regardless of who is behind them. If we fail to prepare or respond, we risk leaving ourselves open to influence operations designed to weaken our cohesion and erode our sovereignty.