Change in Itinerary for US Vice President JD Vance Brings Cautious Relief for Greenland and Denmark
Greenland and Denmark appeared cautiously relieved early Wednesday by the news that US Vice President JD Vance and his wife are changing their itinerary for their visit to Greenland Friday, reducing the likelihood that they will cross paths with residents angered by the Trump administration’s attempts to annex the vast Arctic island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.
The couple will now visit the US Space Force outpost at Pituffik, on the northwest coast of Greenland, instead of Usha Vance’s previously announced solo trip to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut.
President Donald Trump irked much of Europe by suggesting that the United States should in some form control the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of Denmark, a US ally and NATO member. As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.
The vice president’s decision to visit a US military base in Greenland has removed the risk of violating potential diplomatic taboos by sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation. Yet Vance has also criticized longstanding European allies for relying on military support from the United States, openly antagonizing partners in ways that have generated concerns about the reliability of the US.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told Danish broadcaster DR Wednesday that the Vances’ updated travel plans are a good thing. The minister said the change was a de-escalation, even as he said the Americans are treating it as the opposite, with Vance suggesting in an online video that global security is at stake.
Rasmus Jarlov, a Danish lawmaker and spokesperson on Greenlandic Affairs for the Conservatives, wrote on X that the new schedule means the Vances will avoid any confrontations with Greenlanders. Jarlov noted that, after all, a vice president visiting an American military base is not controversial.
