Vance Visits Greenland, Locals Push Back
The U.S. government planned a diplomatic visit to Greenland, but locals shut it down before it even started. When Vance visits Greenland, she may find herself unwelcome.
Ahead of her trip to the icy territory, U.S. officials went door-to-door in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, looking for residents willing to meet Second Lady Usha Vance. They came up empty.
Greenlanders Reject Usha Vance’s Arrival
According to Danish broadcaster TV 2, officials tried persuading residents to speak with Vance during her visit, but no one was interested. Tupilak Travel, a Nuuk-based company, initially agreed to host the event—then pulled out.
“After closer consideration, we have now informed the consulate that we do not want her visit,” the company wrote on Facebook. “We cannot accept the underlying agenda. No thanks to the press show.”
They ended their statement by declaring, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.”
JD Vance Decides To Tag Along
Vice President JD Vance announced he would be joining his wife, posting a video online saying, “There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday, I didn’t want her to have all the fun by herself.”
The Vances, along with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Christ Wright, were scheduled to attend events on the island. But one by one, those engagements disappeared.
Plans Fall Apart Ahead Of Visit
The U.S. delegation had hoped to attend Avannaata Qimusserua, a major dogsledding event. However, that visit has also been canceled. As it stands, the only remaining stop for the delegation is a tour of the U.S. Space Force base at Pituffik.
With virtually every other engagement scrapped, the trip now hinges entirely on military and strategic optics.
Danish Officials Condemn The Visit
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly condemned the trip. “It is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark,” she said. “You cannot make a private visit with official representatives when Greenland’s government has made it very clear they do not want a visit at this time.”
Frederiksen linked the timing of the Vance visits Greenland trip to former President Donald Trump’s repeated interest in acquiring the island.
“This visit cannot be seen independently of that,” she added.
Why Greenland Matters So Much
Greenland’s location has made it a focal point of U.S. strategic planning. Melting sea ice is opening new Arctic trade routes that could cut shipping time between Asia, Europe, and North America by 40%. The U.S. Naval Institute calls it a “massive shift in maritime logistics.”
Currently, five nations hold Arctic territory: Canada, Russia, Norway, the U.S. (via Alaska), and Denmark through Greenland. Control of Greenland would massively expand U.S. Arctic access.
Valuable Resources Beneath The Ice
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the Arctic holds 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of its natural gas—most of it offshore. Greenland also has vast stores of rare earth minerals, used in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles.
Trump has repeatedly stressed Greenland’s value to U.S. national security and called the island “very, very important.”
But for now, when Vance visits Greenland, the only thing she might receive is silence.
