Second Lady Usha Vance is set to visit Greenland this week, according to a White House announcement on Sunday. She will be accompanied by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz as part of a U.S. delegation to the Danish territory, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s renewed push for American ownership.
The trip, beginning Thursday, aims to explore historical sites, engage with Greenlandic heritage, and attend a national dogsled race, with Usha bringing one of her sons along for the visit.
As Trump intensifies his longstanding proposal to acquire Greenland—an island rich in minerals and home to a critical U.S. military base—the visit underscores a growing geopolitical focus on the region.
In a video statement on Sunday, Vance emphasized that her trip aims to celebrate and strengthen “the long history of mutual respect and cooperation” between the United States and Greenland.
The visit, however, has sparked criticism from outgoing Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte B. Egede, who expressed concerns that it might be perceived as a display of power intended to intimidate local leaders. “This can in no way be characterized as a harmless visit from a politician’s wife,” Egede told the national newspaper Sermitsiaq. “What is the security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to show a demonstration of power, and the signal is unmistakable.”
Representatives from the White House and the Energy Department have not responded to requests for comment.
Trump first proposed buying Greenland during his initial term but has recently become more vocal about the necessity of ownership, calling it “an absolute necessity.” He suggested that military force could be considered in pursuing the acquisition. In a recent address to Congress, he stated, “We need Greenland for national security. One way or the other, we’re going to get it.”
During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier this month, Trump hinted that the military alliance might need to support his territorial ambitions, saying, “We have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful. I think that’s why NATO might need to get involved, because we really need Greenland for national security.”
Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark and a NATO member, and leaders from both Greenland and Denmark have consistently rejected Trump’s ownership proposal.
In January, Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland, accompanied by right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, as part of a trip his father characterized as support for a “deal that must happen.”
Credit: NBC News
