US officials, including Second Lady Usha Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, are set to visit Greenland this week amidst heightened tensions over a plan to annex the autonomous Danish territory. Greenland Prime Minister Mute B. Egede has described the trip as “highly aggressive” and warned that it could fuel American belief in President Donald Trump’s mission.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in taking Greenland by force or economic coercion, despite Denmark and Greenland rejecting the idea. The visit by US officials is seen as a demonstration of power over Greenland, which holds vast stores of rare earth minerals critical for high-tech industries.
Greenlandic politicians have repeatedly signaled they are opposed to annexation, but are open to deals with the United States for investments in areas such as mining, tourism, and diplomatic connections. A recent poll found that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to become part of the US.
The visit by Vance and Waltz comes amid a period of change in Greenland’s politics, following the election of a new governing coalition led by Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Despite this, Egede remains prime minister until a new coalition is formed.
The US delegation will attend cultural events, including Greenland’s national dogsled race, but it is unclear whether they have ever visited the event before. The visit has raised questions about the future security of Greenland as the US, Russia and China vie for influence in the Arctic.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/24/world/greenland-prime-minister-us-usha-vance-intl-hnk/index.html