U.S. putting 'unacceptable pressure' on Greenland with unsolicited visit, says Danish PM
High-profile delegation comes as Trump reiterates that U.S. should take over
The United States is exerting "unacceptable pressure" on Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday, ahead of an unsolicited visit by a high-profile U.S. delegation to the semi-autonomous Danish territory this week.
The visit to an American military base will include U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance, White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The U.S. vice-president said on the social media platform X on Tuesday that he will visit Greenland on Friday. His wife had been scheduled to watch a dog sled race on Friday, but that was cancelled and she will instead visit the Pituffik Space Base, the vice-president's office said.
"We're going to check out how things are going there," Vance said in a video accompanying his post on X. "Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it's important to protecting the security of the entire world."
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his suggestion that the U.S. should take over Greenland, saying the vast island was important for U.S. national security. Frederiksen has rejected the proposal, saying it is up to the people of Greenland to decide their future.
"I have to say that it is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark in this situation. And it is pressure that we will resist," she told Danish broadcasters DR and TV2.
Greenland's acting head of government, Múte Egede, has labelled the visit a "provocation," as it coincides with government coalition talks and municipal elections scheduled for the following week.
"This is a charm offensive without the charm," said Noa Redington, an analyst and former adviser to previous Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
"And everyone is upset because it's so obvious that this is about intimidating the Greenlandic people and provoking Denmark."
'Strong signal of respect'
Since Donald Trump Jr.'s private visit to the mineral-rich island in January, the U.S. president has consistently discussed annexation of Greenland and urged Greenlanders to join the United States.
Polls have shown that nearly all Greenlanders oppose joining the U.S.
Earlier this month, anti-American protesters gathered in the capital Nuuk and in several other towns across the island, in some of the largest demonstrations ever seen in Greenland.
On Monday, Trump said that his administration was working with "people in Greenland" who want something to happen, but did not elaborate.
Kuno Fencker welcomed the visit, saying it was "an honour and a strong signal of respect." Fencker is a member of Greenland's parliament for the nationalist and strongly pro-independence Naleraq party, which came in second in a March 11 general election.
"They are welcome in Greenland," he said, adding that he had not been in contact with the U.S. administration about the visit.
Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said the delegation aimed to "learn about Greenland, its culture, history and people."
'He wants Greenland'
Frederiksen disputed the notion of a private visit with official representatives.
"The visit is clearly not about what Greenland needs or wants," she said. "President Trump is serious. He wants Greenland. Therefore, [this visit] cannot be seen independently of anything else."
Frederiksen said Denmark did not oppose ties with the United States, citing a 1951 bilateral agreement that established U.S. rights to move freely and construct military bases in Greenland, given Denmark and Greenland are notified.
"We are allies," she said. "There is no indication either in Denmark or Greenland that we do not want co-operation with the Americans."
Egede has called for more robust support from allies against the U.S.
Frederiksen said, "There is massive support from the Nordic countries and the EU, so we have our allies and close partners with us."
Dwayne Ryan Menezes, founder and managing director of the London-based Polar Research and Policy Initiative think-tank, said that the Trump administration's "intimidation" of Greenland could backfire.
Menezes said if Trump was "smart enough" to understand Greenland's strategic importance that he should also be "smart enough to know there is no greater way to weaken America's hand and hurt its long-term interests than turning its back on its allies, the principal asymmetrical advantage it enjoys over its adversaries."
With files from The Associated Press