Greenland blasts US Second Lady Usha Vance’s visit as foreign interference

Greenland’s Prime Minister, Múte B. Egede, has urged the international community to take action following the announcement of a visit by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Second Lady Usha Vance, wife of US Vice President, JD Vance, to the Arctic territory.

Egede accused the US of engaging in “foreign interference” amid heightened tensions surrounding Greenland's status.

Waltz and Vance are set to arrive in Greenland this week, accompanied by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. This visit comes after US President Donald Trump expressed intentions to integrate the autonomous region—part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which governed Greenland as a colony until 1953—into the US, suggesting that military or economic force could be employed to achieve this goal.

The visit, scheduled from Thursday to Saturday, includes Vance traveling with her son and a US delegation. The White House also announced that Waltz and Wright will visit the US military base in Greenland, Pituffik, for briefings, and are expected to join Vance for a tour of historical sites and a dog sled race.

As a precaution, the Danish police have deployed additional personnel and sniffer dogs to Greenland in anticipation of the visit. René Gyldensten, a spokesperson for the police, stated that while the increased security measures are standard protocol for dignitary visits, he did not disclose the exact number of officers sent, although reports indicate that dozens have been flown in on a chartered aircraft.

Following recent elections that resulted in a significant governmental shift, Greenlandic parties are currently engaged in coalition negotiations. The Democrats have surpassed Egede’s party, Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), to become the largest party in the Inatsisartut, Greenland’s parliament.

Egede expressed frustration over the White House's announcement, criticizing Greenland’s allies for their muted support. He warned that without louder international backing, the situation could worsen. “Yes, the western allies stood together and helped each other through thick and thin, but it has turned upside down now with the sitting president in the USA,” he told the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq.

He continued, “The fact that our other allies in the international community feel like hiding in a small corner and almost whispering that they support us has no effect. If they do not speak out loudly about how the USA is treating Greenland, the situation will escalate day by day, and the American aggression will increase.” Egede called for clear and decisive support from Greenland’s allies.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats and likely future prime minister, urged calm during the ongoing coalition talks, criticizing the U.S. for its “lack of respect” in organizing the visit while negotiations were still underway. “The visit, which is said to be ‘private,’ is pure charm offensive. If we allow ourselves to be influenced by it, we may become even more vulnerable to pressure,” Nielsen stated.

He added, “Let’s cool our nerves and maintain our common goal of showing the outside world that our country is not a commodity and that we have sovereignty over the country, which must be respected.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen commented on the planned visit, noting that it cannot be viewed separately from prior public statements. She emphasized, “In the kingdom, we want to cooperate with the Americans. But it must be a cooperation that is based on the fundamental values of sovereignty and respect between countries and peoples.”