The vice president and second lady arrived at a U.S. base on the northwest coast of Greenland on Friday.
Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance touched down in Greenland and toured a U.S. military base amid comments from President Donald Trump about acquiring the world’s largest island.
Soon after arriving, Vance spoke to U.S. troops stationed at the Pituffik Space Base on the northwest coast of Greenland, according to on-camera remarks. He said the administration is “really interested in Arctic security” and predicted that the issue will increase in the coming years.
“As you all know, it’s a big issue and it’s only going to get bigger over the coming decades,” Vance said, thanking the troops.
Ahead of Vance’s visit, several major Greenland political parties formed a coalition government, a move hailed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a social media post on Friday.
“Congratulations to Greenland’s new government and Premier-elect Jens-Frederik Nielsen,” she wrote. “You deserve partners who respect you and treat you as equals. And the European Union is proud to be such a partner for you.”
“It is a time when we as a population are under pressure,” Nielsen said before the accord was signed to applause and cheers in the capital, Nuuk. He added that “we must stick together. Together we are strongest,” Greenland broadcaster KNR reported.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen congratulated Nielsen and his incoming government and said that she is looking forward “to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-filled time,” according to a translated post on Instagram.
Frederiksen said earlier in the week that the U.S. visit, which was originally set for three days, created “unacceptable pressure.” She has said that Denmark wants to work with the United States on defense and security but that Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.
During his visit, Vance was expected to receive briefings and deliver remarks to U.S. service members on the base, according to the vice president’s office. His delegation includes national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and the second lady.
