Wife of US Vice President Vance to make high-profile visit to Greenland
24/3/2025 6:02
Usha Vance, the wife of
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, will travel to Greenland on
Thursday as President Donald Trump clings to the idea of a U.S.
annexation of the strategic, semi-autonomous Danish territory.
She will visit Greenland with a U.S. delegation to tour
historical sites, learn about the territory's heritage and
attend the national dogsled race, the White House said in a
statement. The delegation will return to the U.S. on March 29.
White House national security advisor Mike Waltz and Energy
Secretary Chris Wright will visit a U.S. military base in
Greenland as part of the trip, a U.S. official said. The White
House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump has made U.S. annexation of Greenland a major talking
point since taking office for a second time on January 20.
Greenland's strategic location and rich mineral resources could
benefit the U.S. It lies along the shortest route from Europe to
North America, vital for the U.S. ballistic missile warning
system.
The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced
opposition to such a move.
The Greenlandic government, which currently is in a
caretaker period after a March 11 general election won by a
party that favors a slow approach to independence from Denmark,
did not reply to requests for comments.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written
comment reacting to news of the visit that "this is something we
take seriously." She said Denmark wants to cooperate with the
U.S., but it should be cooperation based on "the fundamental
rules of sovereignty."
She added that the dialogue with the U.S. regarding
Greenland would take place in close coordination with the Danish
government and the future Greenlandic government.
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