The classified “collection emphasis” instructions, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, ordered agency chiefs to use spies and electronic tools to identify Greenlandic and Danish supporters of Trump’s goals, and to learn more about Greenland’s secession movement and attitudes toward US resource extraction.

The Trump administration’s interest in Greenland appears to be part of what Washington sees as a broader competition for power in the Arctic, where Russia is a dominant force and China aspires to expand its footprint and capabilities.