US accused of raising pressure amid Trump’s calls to annex semi-autonomous island, while Denmark raises security.
Greenland’s prime minister has criticised a planned trip by a high-profile United States delegation as a “provocation”.
The visit this week to the semi-autonomous Danish territory by the US second lady, accompanied by the White House national security adviser, earned criticism from across Greenland’s political spectrum on Monday. The trip comes amid ongoing claims by President Donald Trump that the US wants to annex the island.
The delegation, which will visit a US military base, will be led by Usha Vance – wife of Vice President JD Vance – and include White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede called the visit, which will run from Thursday to Saturday, a “provocation”, and said his caretaker government would not meet with it.
“Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely,” Egede told local newspaper Sermitsiaq. “But that time is over.”
The “only purpose of the visit was a demonstration of power, and the signal should not be misunderstood”, he added.
Greenland’s government is currently in a caretaker phase following a March 11 parliamentary election won by the Democrats. The pro-business party favours a slow approach to independence from Denmark.
Party leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the visit during coalition talks, and with municipal elections due next week, “once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people”.
Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the US delegation’s visit “presents an opportunity to build on partnerships that respects Greenland’s self-determination and advances economic cooperation”.
Trump has made US annexation of Greenland a major talking point since his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a private visit to the mineral-rich island in January.
Amid the criticism from Greenland, Denmark said it was boosting security prior to the delegation’s arrival.
Danish police sent extra personnel and sniffer dogs to the island before the planned visit, the chief spokesman for Denmark’s national police said, adding that the reinforcements were part of regular steps taken during visits by dignitaries to Greenland.
About 60 police officers from Denmark arrived in Nuuk on Sunday, state broadcaster KNR reported.
Greenland’s strategic location and rich oil, gas and mineral resources could benefit the US. It also lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for the US ballistic missile warning system.
Waltz and Wright plan to visit the Pituffik Space Base, the US military base in Greenland. The White House said they would receive briefings from US service members there.
The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced opposition to the rising pressure from the Trump administration.
