By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-25 23:01:44 | Updated at 2025-03-28 18:56:08
2 days ago
US Vice-President J.D. Vance will visit an American military base in Greenland on Friday, adding to pressure on the autonomous Danish territory that Donald Trump wants to take over.
Vance, who has become Trump’s attack dog on foreign policy matters, will travel with his wife Usha to Pituffik Space Base “to receive a briefing on Arctic security issues and meet with US service members,” his office said Tuesday in a statement.
The announcement came just hours after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticised the US second lady’s planned visit to Greenland – before the vice-president stating he would accompany his wife – as putting “unacceptable pressure” on both the territory and Denmark.
“There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided that I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself, and so I’m going to join her,” Vance said in a video on Tuesday.
Since returning to power in January, Trump has insisted he wants the United States to take over Greenland for national security purposes and has refused to rule out the use of force.
In his video announcement, Vance said other countries sought to use the territory to “threaten the United States, to threaten Canada, and, of course, to threaten the people of Greenland”.
02:02
Citing China, Trump won’t rule out using military to reclaim Panama Canal and buying Greenland
Citing China, Trump won’t rule out using military to reclaim Panama Canal and buying Greenland
