U.S. Vice-President JD Vance adjustments itinerary for Greenland go to, amid annexation dispute

Greenland and Denmark appeared cautiously relieved early Wednesday (March 26, 2025) by the information that U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his spouse are altering their itinerary for his or her go to to Greenland on Friday (March 28, 2025), lowering the probability that they may cross paths with residents angered by the Trump administration’s makes an attempt to annex the huge Arctic island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

The couple will now go to the U.S. House Drive outpost at Pituffik, on the northwest coast of Greenland, as an alternative of Usha Vance’s beforehand introduced solo journey to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut.

U.S. President Donald Trump irked a lot of Europe by suggesting that the US ought to in some type management the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of Denmark, a U.S. ally and NATO member. Because the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic worth as each China and Russia search entry to its waterways and pure sources.

Mr. Trump, in an interview Wednesday (March 26, 2025) on The Vince Present, repeated his need for U.S. management of Greenland. Requested if the individuals there are “keen” to develop into U.S. residents, Trump stated he didn’t know “however I believe we now have to do it, and we now have to persuade them.”

The Vice President’s determination to go to a U.S. navy base in Greenland has eliminated the danger of violating potential diplomatic taboos by sending a delegation to a different nation with out an official invitation. But Mr. Vance has additionally criticized long-standing European allies for counting on navy assist from the US, overtly antagonizing companions in ways in which have generated issues concerning the reliability of the U.S.

Throughout his first time period, Mr. Trump floated the concept of buying the world’s largest island, whilst Denmark insisted it wasn’t on the market. The individuals of Greenland even have firmly rejected Mr. Trump’s plans.

Anne Merrild, a Greenlander and an knowledgeable on Arctic politics and growth, stated latest anti-U.S. demonstrations in Nuuk may need scared the Trump administration sufficient to revise the journey to keep away from interactions with offended Greenlanders.

Nonetheless, Merrild stated, even a go to to the house base exhibits that the U.S. administration nonetheless considers annexing Greenland to be on the desk.

“It’s a sign to the entire world, it’s a robust sign to Denmark, it’s a sign to Greenland,” she stated. “And naturally it’s additionally an inside sign to the U.S., that that is one thing that we’re pursuing.”

Mr. Vance is allowed to go to the bottom, stated Marc Jacobsen, a professor on the Royal Danish Protection Faculty, due to a 1951 settlement between Denmark and the U.S. relating to the protection of Greenland.

Jacobsen stated the timing is controversial, significantly as a result of coalition negotiations are ongoing to type a authorities after the election earlier this month.

Forward of the Vice President’s announcement that he would be part of his spouse, discontent from the governments of Greenland and Denmark had been rising sharper, with the Greenland authorities posting on Fb Monday (March 24, 2025) evening that it had “not prolonged any invites for any visits, neither personal nor official.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen informed Danish nationwide broadcasts Tuesday on (March 25, 2025) that the go to was “unacceptable stress.”

Peter Viggo Jakobsen, affiliate professor on the Danish Protection Academy, stated the journey’s flip-flop continues to trigger main confusion on the island. The U.S. has not articulated particular calls for from Greenland or Denmark at this level.

“We don’t know what the top recreation is,” Jakobsen stated.

In Greenland, the political group probably the most sympathetic to the U.S. President, the Naleraq celebration that advocates a swift path towards independence, has now been excluded from coalition talks to type the subsequent authorities. The Trump administration’s aspirations for Greenland might backfire and push the extra gentle events nearer to Denmark.

“However now Trump has scared most Greenlanders away from this concept a few shut relationship to the US as a result of they don’t belief him,” Jakobsen added.

One of many largest remaining hurdles to Greenland’s independence is diversifying the financial system, the place fishing accounts for 90% of exports. Within the meantime, Greenland receives an annual block grant from Denmark of round 3.5 billion kronen ($506 million), which is greater than half the general public funds, to cowl the island’s Nordic-style social packages, together with free well being care.

It’s due to this fact higher for Greenland, strategically, to threaten Denmark with independence and a referendum than truly do it, Jakobsen stated. So long as the menace is there, Greenland can push for extra concessions and extra money from Denmark.

If the island pins all its hopes on the U.S., Greenlanders don’t have any assure they are going to be higher off or have any energy in a future relationship with America, he stated.

“In that sense, Trump is the Danish realm’s finest buddy in the intervening time,” Jakobsen added.