Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and Chief Pentagon Spokesman, has clarified the reason behind Colonel Susannah Meyer’s removal from her post as commander of Pituffik Space Base.
In a brief statement posted on Friday, Parnell said Meyer was dismissed for taking actions that sought to undermine the agenda of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The Department of Defense will not tolerate any attempt to subvert the President’s agenda or disrupt the chain of command,” Parnell wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
His remarks followed an announcement from Space Operations Command Public Affairs confirming Meyer’s dismissal on April 10, 2025.
According to the official release, Meyer was relieved of her duties by Colonel Kenneth Klock, commander of Space Base Delta 1, due to a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead.”
The statement also revealed that Colonel Shawn Lee has been appointed as Meyer’s replacement.
The decision comes in the wake of controversy surrounding an internal email Meyer sent to her subordinates. In the message, she reportedly criticized comments made by Vice President JD Vance during his March 28 visit to Greenland. Vance had spoken in favor of the U.S. annexing Greenland and accused Denmark of failing to protect the region from Chinese and Russian influence.
Meyer expressed disagreement with the Vice President’s remarks, sparking concern over her alignment with the administration’s strategic direction.
President Trump had previously hinted at U.S. intentions to acquire Greenland during his second term in office, reviving a controversial idea first floated in his previous administration.