Tensions Rise as Danish PM Accuses US of Pressuring Greenland

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has accused the United States of placing “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and vowed to resist any attempts to influence the autonomous Danish territory. Her remarks come ahead of a controversial visit by US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who unexpectedly announced he would accompany his wife, Usha Vance, to the Arctic island.

Vance revealed his last-minute decision in a video posted on X, saying, “There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided that I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself, and so I’m going to join her.” He added, “Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it’s important to protecting the security of the entire world.”

His remarks further fueled tensions, as Frederiksen insisted the visit was not a simple diplomatic gesture but part of a broader US effort to assert control over Greenland.

Trump is Serious About Greenland, says Danish PM

Speaking to Danish media outlet TV 2, Frederiksen stated, “I have to say that it is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark in this situation. And it is pressure that we will resist.” She dismissed the notion that the visit was purely personal, arguing, “You cannot make a private visit with official representatives from another country.”

Frederiksen also warned that Trump’s ambitions for Greenland should not be underestimated. “President Trump is serious … He wants Greenland. Therefore, it cannot be seen independently of anything else,” she told Danmarks Radio (DR).

Greenland’s Strategic Importance

Greenland, an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark, retains close ties with Copenhagen, which oversees its foreign and security policy. However, the US has long viewed Greenland as strategically crucial due to its location in the Arctic and has previously attempted to exert influence over the region. Trump has openly expressed his desire for the US to acquire Greenland, a stance that has strained US-Danish relations in the past.

Growing Political Tensions

Frederiksen emphasized that the upcoming visit does not align with Greenland’s needs or wishes. “It is clearly not a visit that is about what Greenland needs or what Greenland wants from a visit. Therefore, no matter how we twist it, it is a completely unacceptable pressure on Greenland, the Greenlandic politicians, and the Greenlandic population, but it is also on Denmark and thus the kingdom,” she said.

With tensions escalating, the visit by US officials is likely to spark further debate over Greenland’s future and its place in international geopolitics.