Greenland leaders criticize US delegation visit as Trump hints at takeover

The delegation, which will visit a U.S. military base and watch a dogsled race, will be led by Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, and include White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, News.Az reports citing Reuters.

 

Trump has made U.S. annexation of Greenland a major talking point since his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a private visit to the vast, mineral-rich island in January.

 

Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede called the delegation's visit, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, a "provocation" and said his caretaker government would not meet with it.

 

"Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely," Egede told local newspaper Sermitsiaq. "But that time is over."

 

The Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, is currently in a caretaker phase following a March 11 parliamentary election won by the Democrats, a pro-business party that favours a slow approach to independence from Denmark.

 

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats, called for political unity and criticized the timing of the visit during coalition talks with municipal elections due next week.

 

"We must not be forced into a power game that we ourselves have not chosen to be a part of," Nielsen said on Monday.

 

Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the visit aims to "build on partnerships that respects Greenland's self-determination and advances economic cooperation".

 

"This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people and to attend a dogsled race the United States is proud to sponsor, plain and simple," Hughes said.