US Vice President JD Vance announced Tuesday that he would accompany his wife, Usha Vance, on her upcoming visit to Greenland, intensifying pressure on the autonomous Danish territory that President Donald Trump has expressed interest in acquiring.
Vance, a vocal advocate of Trump’s foreign policy agenda, said that he would not only visit US Space Force personnel stationed in Greenland but also assess the region’s security situation.
“There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided that I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself, and so I’m going to join her,” Vance said in a video statement.
His announcement comes in the wake of strong criticism from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who labeled the visit by the US Second Lady as “unacceptable pressure” on both Greenland and Denmark.
Usha Vance is set to travel to Greenland from Thursday to Saturday, where she will attend the country’s national dogsled race in Sisimiut. The event has been largely sponsored by the US consulate in Nuuk, according to Greenlandic media reports.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has reignited his push for the US to acquire Greenland, citing national security concerns. He has refused to rule out the possibility of using force, further escalating tensions.
In his video, Vance emphasised the territory’s strategic importance, claiming that foreign nations seek to use Greenland to “threaten the United States, to threaten Canada, and, of course, to threaten the people of Greenland.”
Vance added, “Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland.”
Trump has also recently suggested that Canada should become the “51st state” of the United States, raising further concerns about his expansionist rhetoric.
The visits from US officials have sparked political backlash in both Greenland and Denmark. Frederiksen condemned the trip, saying, “You can’t organize a private visit with official representatives of another country.”
Meanwhile, US National security advisor Mike Waltz and energy secretary Chris Wright are also expected to travel to Greenland this week, according to reports.
The visit comes at a sensitive time in Greenland’s political landscape, as parties continue to negotiate a new coalition government following the March 11 elections.
As a self-governing territory of Denmark, Greenland has long sought greater autonomy from Copenhagen. The region holds vast, untapped mineral and oil reserves, though the extraction of uranium and oil remains banned.
With Arctic sea lanes becoming increasingly accessible due to climate change, Greenland has drawn growing geopolitical interest from the United States, China, and Russia, further complicating the situation.
