On Sunday, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute B. Egede made an angry statement regarding the visit of the American delegation to the country, which did not invite them. He stated that the planned trip to the island this week by high-ranking officials from the Trump administration is «extremely aggressive», and the Greenlanders' attempts to show diplomacy only «push Donald Trump and his administration in their pursuit to claim and control Greenland».
According to The New York Times, Trump's national security advisor Michael Waltz and Second Lady Usha Vance are among the officials heading to the island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, although President Trump vowed to make it part of the United States «one way or another».
«What is the national security advisor doing in Greenland? — commented the Prime Minister of Greenland. — The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us».
Other Greenlandic officials complained about the inappropriate timing for the visit, noting that parliamentary elections have just taken place in Greenland and a new government has yet to be formed. «The fact that the Americans are well aware that we are in the middle of negotiations once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people», — stated Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the most popular political party.
The Trump administration presented the visit as friendly, stating on Sunday that Usha Vance will arrive with one of her children on Thursday and will attend a national dog sled race.
Michael Waltz intends to visit the US military base in the northern part of the island, two high-ranking officials told the publication. According to another source, the US Secretary of Energy will join Waltz to inspect the base, as the Trump administration is considering Greenland's rare earth minerals and other resources.
A representative for Waltz said that the purpose of the visit is information gathering and familiarization with local culture. «The United States has a vested interest in the security of the Arctic region, and it should not be surprising that the national security advisor and the Secretary of Energy are visiting the American space base to get firsthand information from our military personnel on the ground, — stated Brian Hughes, a representative of the National Security Council. — We also look forward to experiencing the famous Greenlandic hospitality and are confident that this visit provides an opportunity to establish partnerships that respect Greenland's self-determination and promote economic cooperation. This is a visit to learn more about Greenland, its culture, history, and people».
A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of the island's residents, which lies along the Arctic Ocean and is mostly covered in ice, do not want to become part of the United States. Nevertheless, many of them expressed a desire to improve relations with Washington.
Trump continues to increasingly talk about acquiring Greenland, which is part of expansionist thinking during his second term, also targeting Canada and the Panama Canal. Shortly after his election in 2024, he began urging advisors to find a way to make the acquisition of Greenland a reality.
Greenland has been connected to Denmark for over 300 years. The Danes colonized it but eventually included it as part of Denmark and ultimately granted Greenlanders greater autonomy to manage their own affairs.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made it clear on Sunday that neither Denmark nor Greenland requested these trips. «The United States' visit cannot be viewed in isolation from the public statements that have been made, — said Frederiksen. — We take this seriously».