US delegation to Greenland sparks diplomatic tension
President Donald Trump has dismissed criticism surrounding the planned visit of an American delegation to Greenland, asserting that the island's inhabitants themselves are reaching out to the USA for protection. He assured that the visit by the Vice President's wife and other US representatives results from an invitation and is not intended as a provocation.
Trump firmly countered allegations that the planned visit of the US delegation to Greenland could be viewed as a provocation. According to the American President, it is the Greenlanders themselves who initiate contact with the United States, requesting support on security matters. "We’re dealing with a lot of people from Greenland that would like to see something happen with respect to their being properly protected and properly taken care of. They’re calling us. We’re not calling them. And we were invited over there, and I thought it would be great," he said during a cabinet meeting.
Officially, the purpose of the delegation's visit, led by Usha Vance, the wife of the US Vice President, is to participate in the national dog sled race scheduled for Thursday. Trump also suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio might be part of the delegation, although earlier reports only mentioned the participation of the presidential advisor on national security, Mike Waltz, and the Energy Minister, Chris Wright.
When asked about the specific source of the invitation, Trump stated that it came from "many, many requests from many, many people, some officials too." This statement, however, contradicts the official stance of the Greenlandic authorities.
Opposition from Greenlandic and Danish authorities
Both Danish and Greenlandic authorities have expressed criticism of the planned visit of the American delegation. The acting Prime Minister of Greenland, Mute B. Egede, published a statement on Facebook emphasising that the visit cannot be regarded as solely private. He also noted that until a new government is appointed in Greenland, a meeting with the US delegation will not take place. On the island, which is an autonomous territory dependent on Denmark, elections were held at the beginning of March, and the new authorities have yet to be constituted.
The Prime Minister of Greenland called on the island's inhabitants to "unite in defence of the country," referring to an anti-American demonstration that took place in mid-March outside the US consulate in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Nearly 1,000 Greenlanders participated in the protest, a significant number for this small community.
Despite the clear opposition from local authorities, Trump again suggested the possibility of the United States taking over Greenland in the future. "I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future. It’s important from the standpoint of international security. And if you look at the ships outside of Greenland, you have Russia, you have China, you have lots of different people and lots of different places, and it cannot go on the way it is. It’s not going to go on the way it is. I’ll make a statement — it’s not going to happen. So they’re going there, and that’s purely friendship," stated the American President.
