Vance Lands in Greenland Amidst US Strategic Push for Territorial Dominance

By Kate Sullivan
Mar 28, 2025 (Bloomberg) – Vice President JD Vance touched down in Greenland just a day after his boss expressed renewed interest in acquiring the resource-rich Arctic territory for the United States.

“There’s been some chatter about Greenland from the Trump management, so we’re here to discuss that,” Vance shared with US Space Force personnel shortly after arriving. “The president is keen on Arctic security; it’s a notable concern and will only grow more pressing in the years ahead.”

This visit coincides with a shift in greenland’s political landscape, as its new government—led by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen—has made it clear that independence advocates are not at the helm and that Greenland is not up for grabs. This stance likely doesn’t sit well with President Trump, who has shown an interest in expanding U.S. influence over this strategically important region.

Nielsen finds himself navigating a tricky geopolitical surroundings where control over mineral resources is increasingly contested as climate change opens up new shipping lanes. Russian President Vladimir Putin weighed in just before Vance’s arrival from Murmansk, indicating he was closely monitoring developments and labeling Trump’s ambitions as “serious.”

The U.S. and Russia are currently engaged in tense negotiations regarding Ukraine, making Putin’s comments on Greenland especially noteworthy given their ancient rivalry and ongoing competition for dominance in the Arctic.

Vance arrived alongside his wife Usha Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright—who had an unusual itinerary of being included then excluded before ultimately joining again.

European officials have their reservations about Trump’s second-in-command due to his previous criticisms of Europe at events like the Munich Security Conference where he suggested European leaders were out of touch with their constituents’ sentiments. This trip marks him as one of the highest-ranking American officials to set foot on Greenland.

Interestingly enough, this visit was initially planned as a family-friendly outing led by Usha along with Waltz and Wright—a casual excursion featuring local attractions like dog sledding races. Though,concerns from Danish authorities regarding both the size of their delegation and underlying motives prompted changes to both group size and agenda.

In fact, what started off as a light-hearted trip quickly evolved into something more significant than anticipated—a development Vance tried to downplay by jokingly stating he didn’t want his wife having all the fun alone.

During early engagements on-site,he kept things jovial despite frigid temperatures—sharing meals with service members while playfully teasing base leadership about participating in polar bear plunges.

However,later remarks from Trump during an interview revealed deeper intentions behind this visit: Do people living there even want this? A recent poll indicated that around 85% do not support such ideas. When asked about it directly by conservative talk show host Vince Coglianese during an interview shortly after landing, Trump responded ambiguously: “I don’t know… I think they’re not entirely opposed but we need to persuade them.”

© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.
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