‘Highly aggressive’: Greenland erupts over US delegation visit

Greenland’s PM says a planned visit by JD Vance’s wife Usha and US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is ‘not an innocent’ trip but is planned solely to ‘demonstrate power over us’.

Greenland has been thrust into the geopolitical spotlight as Donald Trump vowed to acquire it. Picture: Getty Images.

A planned visit to Greenland by JD Vance’s wife Usha and Michael Waltz, the US National Security Adviser has caused fury in the self-governing territory, with Prime Minister Mute Egede describing the trip as “highly aggressive.”

The US Second Lady and Mr Waltz are part of a US delegation to the self-governing territory of Denmark in a trip regarded as highly provocative, given Donald Trump’s repeated call for the US to take Greenland over.

Protesters hold a banner reading "Yankee Go Home" during a march to the US consulate, in Nuuk, Greenland. Picture; AFP.

Mr Egede called on the international community to “react” to the visit, telling Greenland media that the nation’s effort to be diplomatic just “bounces off Donald Trump and his administration in their mission to own and control Greenland.”

“What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland?” he asked. “The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us.

“His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase,” he added in his strongest remarks yet on the issue.

The trip has been presented by the US administration as a friendly visit, with Ms Vance and one of her three children planning to “visit historical sites”, while Mr Waltz and UEnergy Secretary Chris Wright will visit a US military base in the north of Greenland, which Donald Trump Jr. visited in January.

Mr Wright’s presence is a further provocation to Greenlanders, due to the administration’s interest in the territory's rare earth minerals and other resources.

Despite the gloss put on the trip, Mr Egede said he didn’t believe Ms Vance was simply trying to understand Greenland culture.

“We are now at a point where it can no longer be described as an innocent visit from a politician’s spouse,” he said, adding: “The international community must now react.

”If they do not speak out loudly about how the USA is treating Greenland, the situation will escalate day by day, and the American aggression will increase.”

Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen said the visit “cannot be seen in isolation from the public statements that have been made.

“This is something we take seriously,” she said.

Since returning to the White House, Mr Trump has repeatedly said the US will come to control Greenland while insisting he supports the idea for strategic national security reasons — not with an eye toward American expansionism.

“I think we will have it,” Mr Trump said of Greenland shortly after beginning his second term.

During a recent Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Mr Trump said “Denmark’s very far away” from Greenland, and questioned whether that country still had a right to claim the world’s largest island as part of its kingdom.

“A boat landed there 200 years ago or something. And they say they have rights to it,” Mr Trump said. “I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think it is, actually.”

All five parties in Greenland’s parliament issued a joint statement last week rejecting Mr Trump's remarks. Denmark has recognised Greenland’s right to independence at a time of its choosing.

With AP