Greenland leaders lambast US delegation’s visit
Greenlandic leaders have expressed fury at an uninvited planned visit by a US delegation led by US Vice President JD Vance’s wife.
The high-profile delegation led by Usha Vance will also include White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
They intend to tour an American military base and watch a dogsled race to “learn about Greenland, its culture and its history”.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory that President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested the US should annex.
Greenland’s outgoing prime minister Mute Egede called this week’s visit a “provocation” and said his caretaker government would not meet the group.
“Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely,” Egede told local newspaper Sermitsiaq.
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“But that time is over.”
The Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, is in caretaker mode after the March 11 general election won by the Democrats, a pro-business party that favours a slow approach to independence from Denmark.
Democrats leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen called for political unity and said the visit by the Americans during coalition talks and with municipal elections due next week “once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people”.
Waltz and Wright plan to visit the Pituffik space base, the US military base in Greenland.
The White House said they would be briefed by US service members.
They will then join Vance to visit historical sites and watch the national dogsled race.
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White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the US team was “confident that this visit presents an opportunity to build on partnerships that respects Greenland’s self-determination and advances economic cooperation”.
“This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people and to attend a dogsled race the United States is proud to sponsor, plain and simple,” Hughes said.
Trump has made the American annexation of Greenland a major talking point since taking office for a second time on January 20.
Greenland’s strategic location and rich mineral resources could benefit the US.
It lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for the US ballistic missile warning system.
The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced opposition to such a move.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written comment reacting to news of the visit that “this is something we take seriously”.
She said Denmark wanted to cooperate with the US, but it should be cooperation based on “the fundamental rules of sovereignty”.
She added that dialogue with the United States about Greenland would be in close coordination with the Danish government and the future Greenlandic government.
