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Second Lady Ushavance visits to celebrate Greenland culture, the US says
Greenland politicians have denounced the famous US plan for a visit, sparking the threat of President Donald Trump to take over the island.
Second Lady Ushavance made a cultural visit this week, with another trip expected from Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz.
Retiring Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede described the plan as offensive and said the duo had not been invited to the meeting. Meanwhile, the island’s next leader accused the United States of showing lack of respect.
Greenland – the world’s largest island between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans – has been ruled by approximately 3,000 km (1,860 miles) of Denmark for about 300 years.
Watch: Greenland is our future, Trump says
It manages its own domestic issues, but decisions regarding foreign and defence policies will be made in Copenhagen. The United States has long held security interests – and since World War II, there have been military bases on the island.
Trump is also thought to be interested in the island’s rare earth minerals. His son, Donald Jr., visited Greenland before Trump took office in January.
Announcing Mrs. Vance’s visit, the White House said the second lady would visit the historic location and attend Avannata Qimussus, a race of Greenland’s national dog species.
Her delegation, including her son, will be there to “celebrate Greenland’s culture and unity,” the statement said.
Waltz’s trip was confirmed by a source who spoke to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. According to the New York Times, he is expected to visit Mrs. Vance and travel with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.
Prime Minister Send, in particular, described Waltz’s visit as a provocation. “What are security advisors doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to show us a demonstration of power,” he told the Sermitsiaq newspaper.
Speaking to the same paper, Greenland’s next prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, accused American officials of showing lack of respect for local people.
As the US spokesman, Brian Hughes, said the US has a vested interest in the Arctic, “it’s not a surprise that the National Security Advisor and the Energy Secretary are visiting US space stations to obtain direct briefings from service members on the ground.”
He said the visit was also an opportunity to “build on partnerships that respect Greenland’s self-determination and promote economic cooperation” and “learning about Greenland, its culture, history and people.”
Trump appeared to escalate his campaign to take over the island in a conversation with NATO executive director Mark Latte earlier this month.
Although Greenland had already kept up to talk about Trump’s acquisition, he sent more shockwaves by implying that Denmark would also ask him to take the island with the support of NATO, a military alliance that is part of it.
“You know, Mark, we need it for international security… We have to be careful as many of our favourite players are cruised around the coast,” Trump said. “We’ll talk to you.”
When asked about the prospects for annexation, Trump said: “I think it will happen.”
The move has led Greenland’s major political parties to issue joint statements to condemn the US president’s “unacceptable behaviour.”
The issue has won center stage in a recent election. Meanwhile, Ede’s governing Inuit Atakattijit Party was defeated by the surprising result of Nielsen’s Democrats, who support a progressive approach to independence from Denmark.
Earlier this month, in a speech to the US Congress, Trump said he strongly supported people with Greenland’s rights to decide what he is going on. “If you choose, we will welcome you to the United States,” he said.
Recent polls show that almost 80% of the Greenlanders have retreated their independence from Denmark. However, a January opinion survey suggested that more people rejected the idea of becoming part of the United States.
Watch: Danish journalist on what the Greenlanders think about Trump’s comments
