March 28, 2025 – U.S. Vice President JD Vance is set to visit Greenland today, as President Donald Trump intensifies his push for Washington to assert control over the semi-autonomous Danish territory. The visit, scaled back after backlash from Greenlandic and Danish officials, will now focus solely on the U.S. military base at Pituffik in northern Greenland.
Under a 1951 agreement, the U.S. has the right to access its base with prior notification to Greenland and Copenhagen. However, the original plan for Usha Vance, the Second Lady, to attend a dog-sled race alongside National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was met with protests, as neither Greenland nor Denmark had extended an invitation.
Greenland’s acting Prime Minister Mute Egede labeled the visit a “provocation,” particularly as the country is in the midst of forming a new government following its March 11 election. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also criticized the visit as “unacceptable,” though Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the revised itinerary as a step toward de-escalation.
President Trump has reiterated his belief that Greenland is essential for U.S. national and international security, stating, “We need Greenland, and the world needs us to have Greenland.” His remarks have drawn condemnation from Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, who criticized the escalated rhetoric.
Experts suggest that while military action to gain control of Greenland is unlikely, the Trump administration may continue to apply pressure through ambiguous statements and economic measures. Andreas Oesthagen, an Arctic politics researcher, noted that the real beneficiary of this discord is Russia, which gains from strained transatlantic relations.
The visit is seen as an effort by the Trump administration to assess opportunities for collaboration with Greenland, particularly in areas of U.S. policy and investment. However, the controversy surrounding the trip underscores the geopolitical complexities of the Arctic region and the growing tensions over Greenland’s autonomy.