Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has criticized a planned visit by US officials to Greenland this week, calling it an act of “unacceptable pressure” on both the island and Denmark, Bloomberg reports.
The visit, scheduled to begin on Thursday, includes Usha Vance, the wife of US Vice President JD Vance, along with her son, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, according to reports in the Financial Times.
While the delegation has presented the trip as a private visit, it has sparked controversy in Greenland, particularly among lawmakers currently engaged in negotiations to form a new government.
Adding to the tension, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that the visit was about “friendliness, not provocation,” claiming the delegation was “invited” by unnamed individuals in the territory.
Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen, however, views the situation differently.
Frederiksen also emphasized that the visit must be viewed in the context of Trump’s previous statements, in which he repeatedly expressed his desire to purchase Greenland from Denmark.
“President Trump is serious, and he is earnest,” Frederiksen said. “He wants Greenland.”
The US’s interest in Greenland stems from the island’s strategic location and its rich mineral resources, including rare earth elements crucial for modern technology.
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