Usha Vance, Trump Team To Visit Greenland Amid Talks Up ‘Territorial Interest’

A U.S. delegation led by Second Lady Usha Vance is making a trip to Greenland this week, aligning with President Donald Trump’s expressed interest in acquiring the territory.

The delegation is set to depart for the self-governing Danish region on Thursday and return on Saturday, March 29. Accompanying Usha Vance are National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Shortly before the trip was made public, Vance’s husband, JD Vance, remarked that the U.S. might need to "take more territorial interest in Greenland."

Before heading to a U.S. military base with Usha Vance, Waltz and Wright plan to explore historical landmarks and participate in local traditions, including attending a dogsled race.

President Trump has reiterated multiple times his ambition to bring mineral-rich Greenland under U.S. control. He even informed Congress of his intent to secure the region "one way or another" due to its importance to "international security."

Denmark, which governs Greenland and is a U.S. ally, has dismissed the Trump administration’s attempts to acquire the island. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the expected next prime minister of Denmark, responded firmly: "We don’t want to be Americans."

In January, Donald Trump Jr. traveled to Greenland, marking the first visit by a member of Trump’s inner circle in relation to his acquisition proposals.

Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede shared his concerns with the Sermitsiaq newspaper: "Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely. But that time is over."

Egede further described Waltz’s visit as a "provocation."

"The only purpose is to show a demonstration of power to us, and the signal is not to be misunderstood. 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," Egede asserted.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is likely to become the next Prime Minister, echoed this sentiment, calling the U.S. visit a "provocation" and stating that it "once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed the situation, stating that Denmark views the U.S. visit as "something we take seriously."

She emphasized that Denmark seeks cooperation with the U.S. but only based on "the fundamental rules of sovereignty."

According to Reuters, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes described the visit as "an opportunity to build on partnerships that respect Greenland’s self-determination and advance economic cooperation."

In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in on Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland.

During an interview with Megyn Kelly, she inquired, "How does Greenland fit into all of this?"

Rubio responded, "Well, the Arctic, which has gotten very little attention, but the Arctic circle and the Arctic region is going to become critical for shipping lanes. For how do you get some of this energy that’s going to be produced under President Trump? These energies rely on shipping lanes. The Arctic has some of the most valuable shipping lanes in the world. As some of the ice is melting, there’s become more and more navigable. We need to be able to defend that."

Expanding on his point, Rubio noted, "So if you project what the Chinese have done, it is just a matter of time before — because they are not an Arctic power. They do not have an Arctic presence. So they need to be able to have somewhere that they can stage from. And it is completely realistic to believe that the Chinese will eventually, maybe in the short-term, try to do in Greenland what they have done at the Panama Canal and in other places. And that is install facilities that give them access to the Arctic with the cover of a Chinese company, but that in reality serve a dual purpose."

He continued, "That in a moment of conflict, they could send naval vessels to that facility and operate from there. And that is completely unacceptable to the national security of the world and to the security of the world and the national security of the United States. So the question becomes, if the Chinese begin to threaten Greenland, do we really trust that that is not a place where those deals are going to be made? Do we really trust that that is not a place where they would not intervene, maybe by force?"

Rubio concluded, "I think that’s been the president’s point. And that is that Denmark can’t stop them. They would rely on the United States to do so. And so his point is, if the United States is on the hook to provide — as we are now, we have a defense agreement with them — to protect Greenland if it comes under assault, if we’re already on the hook for having to do that, then we might as well have more control over what happens there. And so I know it’s a delicate topic for Denmark, but it’s, again, a national interest item for the United States."