WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance announced he will accompany his wife on a trip to Greenland this Friday, citing global security concerns in an online video.
In a video shared Tuesday, Vance stated, “We’re going to check out how things are going there.” He added, “Speaking for President Trump, we aim to strengthen the security of the people of Greenland because we believe it’s vital to global security.”
President Donald Trump previously stirred controversy in Europe by suggesting the U.S. should have some form of control over Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark rich in minerals. Given its strategic location as a nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic routes to North America, Greenland holds significant value. Both China and Russia are also interested in accessing its waterways and natural resources.
The Vice President’s decision to visit a U.S. military base in Greenland avoids potential diplomatic issues that could arise from sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation. However, Vance has also been critical of long-standing European allies for their reliance on U.S. military support, a stance that has caused concern about America’s reliability.
Prior to the Vice President’s announcement, Greenland and Denmark expressed increasing discontent, with the Greenland government stating on Facebook Monday night that they had “not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the situation as “unacceptable pressure” in a Tuesday broadcast.
It was announced that she would travel to Greenland on Thursday and return on Saturday. Vance and one of her three children initially planned to visit historical sites and learn about Greenland’s culture, but the Vice President’s presence has shifted the focus to national security.
The Vice President mentioned he didn’t want his wife “have all that fun by herself” and intends to visit a Space Force outpost on Greenland’s northwest coast. Vance also asserted that other nations pose a threat to Greenland, the United States, and Canada.
Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor, was initially listed as part of the U.S. delegation to Greenland, but his name was removed when the Vice President’s attendance was confirmed.
The White House did not comment on whether Waltz’s travel plans changed after he mistakenly added a journalist to a secure messaging app conversation regarding a military strike in Yemen.
Vance stated that leaders in Denmark and North America had “ignored” Greenland for “far too long.”
The visit to Pituffik Space Base will replace Usha Vance’s previously scheduled attendance at the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut.
Dwayne Ryan Menezes, founder and managing director of the Polar Research & Policy Initiative, warned that the Trump administration’s “intimidation” of Greenland could be counterproductive.
Menezes argued that if Trump acknowledges Greenland’s strategic value, he should also “know there is no greater way to weaken America’s hand and hurt its long-term interests than turning its back on its allies, the principal asymmetrical advantage it enjoys over its adversaries.”
Despite increasing objections from Greenlandic and Danish officials, Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, explained that Vance is permitted to visit the space base due to a 1951 agreement between Denmark and the U.S. concerning Greenland’s defense.
“What is controversial here is all about the timing,” he said. “Greenland and Denmark have stated very clearly that they don’t want the US to visit right now, when Greenland doesn’t have a government in place.”
During his previous term, Trump considered purchasing Greenland, even though Denmark, a NATO ally, maintained it was not for sale. The people of Greenland also strongly opposed Trump’s plans.
Trump’s return to the White House has been marked by a desire for territorial expansion, with the U.S. president considering adding Canada as a 51st state, regaining control of the Panama Canal, and potentially taking over land in the Gaza Strip from Israel to create a luxury outpost.
—Keyton reported from Berlin. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten contributed reporting from Geneva.
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