US Vice President J.D. Vance made controversial statements during his visit to Greenland's Pituffik Space Base on March 29, 2025, criticizing Denmark's stewardship of the autonomous territory while promoting closer ties with the United States [1].

During his visit to the US military installation, Vance claimed that 'Denmark has not done a good job for the people of Greenland' and criticized European allies for not keeping pace with military spending commitments [1]. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen strongly rejected these assertions, highlighting Denmark's historical military cooperation with the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The visit comes amid escalating tensions over the Trump administration's stated interest in acquiring Greenland. President Trump recently posted a video claiming the island faces threats from Russia and China, declaring 'We have no choice' regarding US control of Greenland [1].

While Vance downplayed the possibility of military action, stating 'We don't believe military force will ever be necessary,' he expressed confidence that Greenlanders would choose independence from Denmark and ultimately partner with the US [1].

The Greenlandic response has been overwhelmingly negative. Recent polling shows 85% of Greenlanders oppose becoming US citizens [1]. Hundreds of protesters gathered in the capital Nuuk and other cities displaying banners reading 'Yankee, go home!' [2].

Greenland's newly formed government coalition under Prime Minister-designate Jens-Frederik Nielsen has strongly criticized Trump's annexation plans, describing them as showing 'a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people' [1].

The visit was notably limited to Pituffik Space Base, a strategic US military installation housing the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, rather than population centers where protests were occurring [2]. The base spans 658 square kilometers and can detect missile launches up to 5,000 kilometers away.