Vice President JD Vance announced that he will join his wife on a trip to Greenland this Friday, suggesting that global security is a key focus of the visit. In a video posted on Tuesday, Vance explained, “We’re going to check out how things are going there. Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because it’s crucial for protecting the security of the entire world.”
This trip echoes President Donald Trump’s previous controversial statement about potentially taking control of Greenland, a self-governing territory rich in minerals and a strategic asset. Greenland, located between the Arctic and North Atlantic, holds significant importance due to its proximity to both Russia and China, who are interested in the region’s resources and sea routes.
Vance’s visit to a U.S. military base in Greenland eliminates the risk of diplomatic issues that might arise from sending a U.S. delegation to a country without an official invitation. However, Vance has also been vocal in his criticism of European allies, accusing them of depending too heavily on U.S. military support. His remarks have raised concerns about America’s commitment to its traditional alliances.
Before the Vice President’s announcement that he would join his wife on the trip, tensions had been rising between the governments of Greenland and Denmark. On Monday night, the Greenland government posted on Facebook, stating that it had “not extended any invitations for any visits, whether private or official.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the situation as “unacceptable pressure” in comments made to Danish national broadcasts on Tuesday.
The office of Second Lady Usha Vance announced on Sunday that she would be leaving for Greenland on Thursday and returning on Saturday. Initially, Vance and one of their three children had planned to visit historical sites and explore Greenland’s culture. However, with her husband’s involvement, the focus of the trip has shifted to national security.
The Vice President shared that he didn’t want his wife to “have all that fun by herself” and mentioned plans to visit a Space Force outpost on Greenland’s northwest coast. He also pointed out that other countries have posed threats to Greenland, as well as the United States and Canada.
Initially, Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, was included in the group of U.S. officials heading to Greenland. However, his name was later removed from the list after the announcement that the Vice President would be attending. The White House did not comment on whether Waltz’s travel plans had changed following reports that he mistakenly added a journalist to a secure messaging app about a military operation in Yemen.
Vance criticized leaders in Denmark and North America for having “ignored” Greenland for “far too long.”
Instead of attending the previously planned Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut, Usha Vance’s visit will now include the Pituffik Space Base.
However, Dwayne Ryan Menezes, founder and managing director of the Polar Research & Policy Initiative, warned that the Trump administration’s “intimidation” of Greenland could have unintended negative consequences.
Menezes argued that if Trump truly understood Greenland’s strategic significance, he would also recognize that the best way to undermine America’s position and harm its long-term interests would be by alienating its allies, which give the U.S. a critical advantage over its rivals.
Despite growing objections from officials in Greenland and Denmark, Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, explained that Vance’s visit to the space base is permitted under a 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the U.S. However, he noted that the controversy centers around the timing of the visit. Greenland and Denmark have made it clear that they are opposed to U.S. visits at this time, particularly with Greenland lacking a functioning government.
During his first term, Trump proposed buying Greenland, the world’s largest island, despite Denmark, a NATO ally, insisting it was not for sale. The people of Greenland have also strongly rejected Trump’s offer.
Trump’s return to the White House has been marked by a renewed focus on territorial expansion. The U.S. president has expressed interest in making Canada the 51st state and regaining control of the Panama Canal. Additionally, he has suggested that U.S. interests could take over land in the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip from Israel and turn it into a luxury outpost.
