Denmark’s foreign minister summoned America's most senior diplomat in the country for talks after reports surfaced on Wednesday that at least three people with connections to US President Donald Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland.

Greenland, a huge semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic, is coveted by Trump.

Denmark, a Nato ally of the United States, and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the US gathering intelligence there.

Danish public broadcaster DR reported on Wednesday that government and security sources, which it didn’t name, as well as unidentified sources in Greenland and the US, believe that at least three Americans with connections to Trump had been carrying out covert influence operations in the territory.

It said its story was based on information from a total of eight sources, who believe the goal was to weaken relations with Denmark from within Greenlandic society.

DR said it had been unable to clarify whether the Americans were working at their own initiative or on orders from someone else.

“We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a statement emailed by his ministry.

“It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead.

“Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable.

“In that light, I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the US chargé d’affaires for a meeting at the Ministry.”

He added that cooperation between the governments of Denmark and Greenland “is close and based on mutual trust.” (AP)