Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has accused the United States of meddling in its political affairs by sending a US delegation to the Danish territory, which is desired by former US President Donald Trump.
Mr. Egede stated that US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is set to visit Greenland this week, accompanied by Usha Vance, the spouse of US Vice President JD Vance.
Usha Vance is scheduled to attend a dogsled race with her son.
Reports from Greenlandic media indicate that the delegation also features US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former mining executive.
In an interview with Greenlandic daily Sermitiaq, Mr. Egede expressed that the “sole purpose of the visit was to showcase power, and the message should not be misinterpreted.”
Since regaining power in January, Donald Trump has maintained that he wants the United States to acquire Greenland for what he claims are national security reasons.
He has not ruled out the possibility of using force to achieve this objective.
Greenland, which is striving for increased autonomy from Copenhagen, and Denmark itself have both consistently rejected Mr. Trump’s propositions, affirming that only the people of Greenland have the right to determine their future.
Mr. Egede mentioned that Washington had previously been informed there would be “no discussions” on any matter until a new Greenlandic government was established to engage in official business.
The general election held on 11 March has left him leading a caretaker government.
‘Aggressive move’
“It must be explicitly stated that our integrity and democracy deserve respect without external interference,” Mr. Egede wrote in a Facebook post.
He further emphasized that the US delegation’s visit “cannot merely be viewed as a private affair.”
“(Waltz) is a close confidant and advisor to Trump, and his presence in Greenland will undoubtedly bolster the Americans’ belief in Trump’s agenda, which may lead to increased pressure following this visit,” Mr. Egede remarked to Sermitsiaq.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the centre-right Democrats and a likely future Greenlandic prime minister, has previously deemed Mr. Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland as “inappropriate.”
Mr. Egede called upon the self-governing territory’s Western allies to vocalize their support and “clearly back up Greenland.”
Ulrik Pram Gad from the Danish Institute for International Studies labeled the visit as an “aggressive move” by Washington.
“They have not been invited by the Greenlanders. They have not been invited by the Danes. They simply declared their intention to visit,” he told AFP.
Greenland’s political parties are presently negotiating a new coalition government following the elections, which were won by the Democrats.
“As a friend or ally, you would generally avoid intervening in that process,” Pram Gad noted.
He suggested that the visit aimed to illustrate that “Denmark is not in control of Greenland.”
Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, is visiting Greenland with her son.
Concurrently, Denmark’s foreign minister commented that the planned visit was “inappropriate.”
“This demonstrates an excessive appetite among Americans that is unwarranted,” Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated on broadcaster TV2.
He also highlighted that, with the Americans visiting, “there have recently been elections in Greenland, and there is no functioning Greenlandic government.”
Coveted region
With no officials available to greet the US delegation, “they will emphasize the point that there’s a lack of control here, suggesting a need for intervention,” Pram Gad said.
He described the decision to send Usha Vance as part of a “facade” charm offensive.
She will be “speaking positively about Greenlandic cultural heritage,” while “at the same time, sending someone who is an ex-Marine to handle security during a time when there’s no one to discuss foreign and security policy for Greenland.”
Moreover, the involvement of Chris Wright “signals that we are interested in resources here,” he added.
Greenland is home to vast untapped mineral and oil reserves, including rare earth elements critical for the green transition and seen as a potential stepping stone toward independence.
However, both oil and uranium exploration are prohibited, and only two active mines operate due to the challenging conditions for mining in the region.
Strategically situated in the Arctic between North America and Europe, Greenland is attracting growing interest from the US, China, and Russia as climate change opens up previously ice-covered shipping routes.
Polls indicate that most of the island’s 57,000 residents support independence from Denmark but oppose annexation by the United States.
Furthermore, Mr. Trump’s son, Donald Jr., also paid a brief visit to Greenland earlier in January.
