US Vice President JD Vance introduced Tuesday that he would accompany his spouse, Usha Vance, on her upcoming go to to Greenland, intensifying strain on the autonomous Danish territory that President Donald Trump has expressed curiosity in buying.
Vance, a vocal advocate of Trump’s international coverage agenda, mentioned that he wouldn’t solely go to US House Pressure personnel stationed in Greenland but in addition assess the area’s safety scenario.
“There was a lot pleasure round Usha’s go to to Greenland this Friday that I made a decision that I did not need her to have all that enjoyable by herself, and so I will be a part of her,” Vance mentioned in a video assertion.
His announcement comes within the wake of sturdy criticism from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who labeled the go to by the US Second Woman as “unacceptable strain” on each Greenland and Denmark.
Usha Vance is ready to journey to Greenland from Thursday to Saturday, the place she’s going to attend the nation’s nationwide dogsled race in Sisimiut. The occasion has been largely sponsored by the US consulate in Nuuk, based on Greenlandic media reviews.
Since returning to workplace in January, Trump has reignited his push for the US to accumulate Greenland, citing nationwide safety issues. He has refused to rule out the opportunity of utilizing drive, additional escalating tensions.
In his video, Vance emphasised the territory’s strategic significance, claiming that international nations search to make use of Greenland to “threaten the US, to threaten Canada, and, after all, to threaten the individuals of Greenland.”
Vance added, “Talking for President Trump, we wish to reinvigorate the safety of the individuals of Greenland.”
Trump has additionally not too long ago recommended that Canada ought to develop into the “51st state” of the US, elevating additional issues about his expansionist rhetoric.
The visits from US officers have sparked political backlash in each Greenland and Denmark. Frederiksen condemned the journey, saying, “You’ll be able to’t set up a non-public go to with official representatives of one other nation.”
In the meantime, US Nationwide safety advisor Mike Waltz and power secretary Chris Wright are additionally anticipated to journey to Greenland this week, based on reviews.
The go to comes at a delicate time in Greenland’s political panorama, as events proceed to barter a brand new coalition authorities following the March 11 elections.
As a self-governing territory of Denmark, Greenland has lengthy sought higher autonomy from Copenhagen. The area holds huge, untapped mineral and oil reserves, although the extraction of uranium and oil stays banned.
With Arctic sea lanes changing into more and more accessible as a consequence of local weather change, Greenland has drawn rising geopolitical curiosity from the US, China, and Russia, additional complicating the scenario.
