Greenland, Denmark Push Back on Vance’s Visit

Denmark and Greenland disagreed with the U.S. vice president’s claims that they allowed Chinese and Russian infiltration.

Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance arrive at the U.S. Military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, on March 28, 2025. Jim Watson/Pool/Getty Images

Leaders in Denmark and Greenland are pushing back against the Trump administration’s proposal to take over Greenland following a controversial visit to the territory by Vice President JD Vance.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland’s new prime minister, said on March 28 that Vance’s visit signaled a “lack of respect,” and called for political unity to combat foreign interference.

“At a time when we as a people are under pressure, we must stand together,” Nielsen said during a press conference in Nuuk on March 28.

The comments came just hours after Vance led a delegation to a U.S. Space Force base in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. He accused Danish leadership of underinvesting in defense, which he said had allowed Chinese and Russian infiltration into the Americas.

“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said at the Pituffik Space Force Base on March 28.

“Denmark has not kept pace and devoted the resources necessary to keep this base, to keep our troops, and in my view, to keep the people of Greenland safe from a lot of very aggressive incursions from Russia, from China, and other nations.”

Vance has repeatedly said that the Chinese and Russian militaries are using Greenland’s waterways, without providing details about the alleged incidents.

The United States has significantly scaled back its own Arctic defense spending over the decades, including in Greenland.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that the United States had maintained 17 bases and more than 10,000 service members across the territory during the Cold War, but now only maintained the one base with about 200 personnel.

Denmark, meanwhile, is currently engaged in a $2 billion push to modernize its capabilities in the region. Rasmussen also noted a desire to spend more.

“[Vance] has a point that we haven’t done enough, but I’m a little provoked because it’s also the Americans who haven’t done enough,” Rasmussen said.

Similarly, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the Trump administration’s characterization was not a fair one and went against the spirit of the close alliance the two powers have shared for more than 80 years.

The souring in relations comes amid an aggressive push by President Donald Trump to annex Greenland. Trump has vowed to bring the territory under U.S. control and has refused to rule out using military force to do so.

Trump has said owning Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for maintaining international security, and Vance has said that controlling Greenland’s minerals will be vital to fueling the future economy of the United States.

Polls have shown that Greenlanders favor independence and overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the United States.

Likewise, Vance’s visit brought about some of the largest public demonstrations in Greenland’s history, with protesters wearing hats or waving banners with slogans including “Make America Go Away” and “Yankees Go Home.”

Reuters contributed to this report.