U.S. Vice President JD Vance will accompany his wife, Usha, on a trip to Greenland this Friday, following former President Donald Trump's threats to take control of the island.
The couple will visit the Pituffik Space Base to receive a briefing on Arctic security and meet with U.S. military personnel stationed there, as confirmed by the White House.
Originally, Usha Vance had planned a cultural visit to the Danish territory, but her husband's announcement of the trip led to a change in plans. Trump's National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, is also expected to visit Greenland separately this week.
Greenlandic officials have strongly criticized the planned visits, calling them disrespectful.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been under Denmark’s control for nearly 300 years. While it governs its own internal affairs, foreign and defense policies are managed in Copenhagen. The U.S. has maintained a security interest and military presence in Greenland since World War II.
Pituffik Space Base, located in northwest Greenland, plays a crucial role in missile warning, air defense, and space surveillance missions.
In a video shared on social media, Vance expressed enthusiasm for joining his wife, saying he didn’t want her to have “all that fun by herself.” He stated that their visit to the military base was focused on ensuring the island's security, given that “other countries have threatened Greenland and its territories, as well as its waterways, to challenge the United States, Canada, and the people of Greenland.”
Vance further emphasized that the Trump administration seeks to “reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland,” claiming that both the U.S. and Denmark have ignored Greenland's security for “far too long.”
It remains unclear whether Mike Waltz’s visit will take place as scheduled. The BBC has reached out to the White House for confirmation.
Dr. Dwayne Ryan Menezes, founder of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative, criticized the visit, calling it “highly unusual” for a high-level U.S. delegation to travel to Greenland without an invitation, particularly after the country’s recent national elections, where political parties are still negotiating to form a new government.
While he acknowledged the U.S.'s strategic interest in Greenland's security, Menezes argued that the aggressive approach, particularly after Trump’s remarks about acquiring the territory, was “inexplicable.” He also noted that threatening to acquire Greenland “one way or the other” was “disrespectful” to the Greenlandic people and a counterproductive tactic.
Recent polls indicate that nearly 80% of Greenlanders support independence from Denmark, and a January survey found even more opposed to the idea of Greenland becoming part of the U.S.
