Greenlanders outraged by Usha Vance, Mike Waltz visits
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Usha Vance, wife of US Vice President JD Vance, is set to visit Greenland alongside a US delegation amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing push for American annexation of the Danish territory.
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Usha Vance attends a campaign rally, November 1, 2024, in Selma, N.C (AP)
Usha Vance, wife of US Vice President JD Vance, is set to visit Greenland this week amid President Donald Trump’s continued pursuit of US annexation of the strategically significant Danish territory.
Vance will travel to Greenland on Thursday with a US delegation to explore historical sites, learn about the region’s heritage, and attend the national dogsled race, as confirmed by the White House.
The delegation will return to the US on March 29. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will also visit, with plans to tour a US military base in Greenland, a US official stated.
Dive deeper
Since beginning his second term on January 20, Trump has frequently emphasized the idea of US annexation of Greenland, asserting that it will become part of the US “one way or the other.”
In a Sunday interview with the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq, Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede called Waltz’s visit a “provocation.”
“The only purpose is to show a demonstration of power to us, and the signal is not to be misunderstood,” he said. “He is Trump’s confidential and closest adviser, and his presence in Greenland alone will certainly make the Americans believe in Trump’s mission, and the pressure will increase after the visit.”
Greenland’s strategic position and its abundant mineral resources make it an attractive prospect for the US, lying along the shortest route between Europe and North America, which is crucial for the US ballistic missile warning system.
Both the Greenlandic and Danish governments have expressed opposition to the annexation plans.
The wider context
The Greenlandic government, which is currently in a caretaker period following the March 11 elections won by a party advocating a gradual approach to independence from Denmark, did not respond to requests for comment.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reacted to the news of the visit, saying in a written statement, “This is something we take seriously.” She emphasized that Denmark desires cooperation with the US, but it must be based on “the fundamental rules of sovereignty.”
She further stated that discussions with the US regarding Greenland would occur in close coordination with both the Danish government and the future Greenlandic government.
Read more: Greenlanders march to US consulate in protest of Trump annexation plan
