Usha Vance set to visit Greenland as Trump revives US annexation ambitions

US Second Lady Usha Vance, along with White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, will visit Greenland this week

Usha Vance, wife of US Vice-President JD Vance, is set to visit Greenland this week as President Donald Trump continues to push the idea of the United States annexing the strategically significant, semi-autonomous Danish territory.

 

According to a White House statement, Usha Vance will travel to Greenland on Thursday as part of a US delegation. The group will explore historical sites, learn about the region’s heritage, and attend the national dogsled race. The delegation is scheduled to return to the US on March 29. White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will also travel to Greenland, with plans to visit Pituffik Space Base, the US military base in Greenland, news agency Reuters reported, quoting a US official.

 

 

Since assuming office for a second term on January 20, Trump has repeatedly emphasised his intention to bring Greenland under US control, stating that it will become part of the country “one way or the other”.

‘This is a show of power’, says Greenland PM

 

Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte B Egede, in an interview with a local newspaper on Sunday, 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 said.

 

“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 stated.

 

Greenland’s strategic position and abundant mineral resources make it valuable to the US. The territory lies along the shortest route between Europe and North America, playing a key role in the US ballistic missile warning system. Both Greenlandic and Danish authorities have expressed opposition to the idea of US annexation.

 

Reacting to the news of the visit, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a written statement, saying that “this is something we take seriously”. Frederiksen reaffirmed Denmark’s willingness to work with the US but stressed that any cooperation must respect “the fundamental rules of sovereignty”.

 

She also noted that discussions concerning Greenland would be coordinated closely between Denmark and the future Greenlandic government.

US could annex Greenland: Trump

 

Earlier this month, Trump once again floated the idea of the United States annexing Greenland, expressing confidence that it could eventually happen. During a discussion with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump implied that control of the island could play a crucial role in global security.

 

“I think it will happen,” he stated when asked about Greenland. “And I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security, not just international security, international. We have a lot of our favourite players, you know, cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful. And we’ll be talking to you.”

 

Although Trump suggested NATO’s involvement in the matter, Rutte distanced the alliance from the idea. “As for Greenland joining the US, I would rather leave that out of this discussion. I don’t want to bring NATO into it,” he responded.

 

Trump has consistently expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a proposition that has been met with firm opposition from Danish officials.

 

Protests over Trump’s annexation plan

Following Trump’s statement on the annexation of Greenland, hundreds of Greenlanders took to the streets on March 15 to voice their opposition to his declared intention of taking control of their island. Video footage captured large crowds in the capital, Nuuk, waving Greenland’s flag and holding signs with messages such as “Respect Greenland’s sovereignty”, “We are not for sale”, and “Make America Go Away” — a reference to Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”.

 

Similar protests were held in other towns across the island.

 

Egede called for a stronger rejection, saying “enough is enough”. “This time we need to toughen our rejection of Trump. People cannot continue to disrespect us,” Egede said in a post on Facebook.

 

(With Reuters inputs)