“Greenland’s Residents Speak Out: What Really Happened During JD Vance’s Controversial Visit Amid Trump’s Bold Claims?”
Greenland must feel like the set of a surreal political drama these days—with Vice President JD Vance making headlines for his recent visit amid the backdrop of Donald Trump’s infamous wish to “buy” the island. I mean, honestly, what’s next—an episode where Antarctica is put up for auction? As Vance stepped onto the icy grounds of the US military base in Pituffik, cheers from the audience seemed to be drowned out by the collective voice of the 57,000 Greenlanders, who clearly have a few thoughts of their own. Following Trump’s persistent claims that Greenland should fall under American control—yes, that’s right, “have” it as if it’s a new gadget just waiting to be unwrapped—the locals didn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat. In fact, many protested Vance’s visit, contending that the self-proclaimed urgency behind U.S. interests leaves much to be desired in terms of respect and understanding. So, what do the Greenlanders really think—are they worrying about an approaching winter, or are their concerns more about an encroaching political climate? Let’s dive in! LEARN MORE.
Greenland residents have spoken out over JD Vance’s visit following Donald Trump’s consistent vows to make the autonomous country his.
The Vice President controversially arrived at the US military base of Pituffik in the territory earlier today (28 March), and it isn’t sitting well with a lot of those who live there.
It comes as Trump continues to insist Greenland should be under his control, something he has been expressing since his first time in office.
He insisted that the US ‘have to have Greenland’ and that: “It’s not a question of ‘Do you think we can do without it?’ We can’t.”
This isn’t something that the country are exactly on board with, as many protested Vance’s unofficial visit today.
JD Vance’s arrival wasn’t necessarily warmly received. (Jim Watson – Pool / Getty Images)
Greenland’s Acting Prime Minister Mute Egede said: “Just for the record, the government of Greenland has not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.”
Vance arrived anyway, saying ‘it’s cold as s**t here’ as a video of him talking to soldiers at the US military base went viral.
But it’s not just the weather that’s icy but the attitude from residents towards him.
One woman named Nina, in the capital city of Nuuk, told the BBC: “I’m concerned (about the visit)…this is kind of odd, I don’t like it.”
And her daughter, Anita, explained that this visit has caused ‘a lot of uncertainty and a lot of people are worried’.
She claimed that the ‘intentions’ of the Americans ‘aren’t as pure or as clear as they claim to be’.
While Anita added that Greenlanders are typically ‘very welcoming people’, many apparently said they’d turn their backs on the Vice President and his wife if they saw them ‘because of the disrespect’ from the US.
The visit was scaled back following criticism. (Jim Watson – Pool / Getty Images)
Trump claims Greenland is needed ‘for national security and international security’, but it’s currently officially a territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
It does, however, have its own government and a population of about 57,000 people.
During his address to troops stationed in Greenland today, Vance said that the base there is vital for monitoring missile threats to North America, while slamming Denmark for ‘under-investing’ in its ‘security architecture’.
And when asked about Trump’s vow to ‘have’ the island, he said: “We respect the self-determination of Greenlanders.”
After today’s visit, it seems to still be unclear quite what the US ‘endgame’ is in Greenland, but Vance seems certain that eventually the territory will ‘cut a deal’ with the states.
