Greenland’s prime minister has condemned the planned visit by US officials, including Second Lady Usha Vance, as “highly aggressive,” marking a new low in relations after President Donald Trump’s controversial attempt to annex the autonomous Danish territory.
Vance, wife of US Vice President JD Vance, is scheduled to visit Greenland this week to attend the island’s national dogsled race and “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity,” according to a White House statement. National security adviser Mike Waltz is also expected to join the delegation, according to a source familiar with the trip.
In an interview with Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq on Sunday, Greenland Prime Minister Mute B. Egede criticized the visit as “highly aggressive” and expressed particular concern about Waltz’s presence.
“What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to assert power over us,” Egede said. “His mere presence will undoubtedly strengthen the American belief in Trump’s mission, and the pressure will only intensify.”
Trump’s proposal to annex Greenland has brought global attention to the territory, which holds vast reserves of rare earth minerals crucial for high-tech industries. The idea has also sparked discussions about the island’s security, as the US, Russia, and China compete for influence in the Arctic. Despite Trump’s repeated interest in acquiring the island through force or economic pressure, both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the notion.
“I believe we’re going to get it, one way or another,” Trump said during his remarks to a joint session of Congress earlier this month.
Egede, who has advocated for Greenland’s independence from Denmark, stated that Greenlanders’ attempts at diplomacy simply “bounce off Donald Trump and his administration in their pursuit to own and control Greenland.”
Although Egede’s left-wing party, Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), was defeated in the parliamentary elections earlier this month, he remains prime minister until a new governing coalition is established.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is likely to become Greenland’s next leader after his party’s election win, criticized the timing of the American visit, calling it “a lack of respect.”
“The fact that the Americans are fully aware we are still in a negotiating situation, and that the municipal elections have not yet concluded, yet they still choose to come to Greenland at this moment, shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people,” Nielsen told Sermitsiaq.
The White House characterized Vance’s visit as a cultural trip, stating that the second lady “will travel to Greenland with her son and a United States delegation to visit historical sites, learn about Greenlandic heritage, and attend the Avannaata Qimussersu, Greenland’s national dogsled race.”
“Ms. Vance and the delegation are excited to witness this monumental race and celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity,” the White House statement added.
It remains unclear whether the US has ever sent a delegation to the dogsled race, let alone one that includes a second lady.
Denmark governed Greenland as a colony until 1953, when the island gained greater self-governance. In 2009, Greenland was granted additional powers over minerals, policing, and the judicial system, but Denmark still controls security, defense, foreign relations, and monetary policy. Greenland also benefits from Denmark’s memberships in the European Union and NATO.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen commented in writing to Reuters that the US delegation’s visit is “something we take seriously.” She emphasized that Denmark aims to cooperate with the US, but this cooperation must be grounded in “the fundamental rules of sovereignty.”
While Greenlandic politicians have consistently expressed opposition to annexation, they remain open to agreements with the United States for rare earth mining, expanding tourism, strengthening diplomatic ties, and other investments.
A poll conducted in January by Danish and Greenlandic newspapers found that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to become part of the US, with nearly half viewing Trump’s interest as a threat, Reuters reported.
Donald Trump Jr. made headlines with a visit to Greenland in January.
“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside world. Make Greenland Great Again!” Trump Jr. posted on social media at the time.
