Vice President JD Vance is set to arrive in Greenland on Friday amid growing tensions over the White House’s controversial push to acquire the Arctic territory. Vance is accompanied by second lady Usha Vance, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and national security adviser Michael Waltz.
The visit comes just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled tacit approval of President Donald Trump’s long-standing interest in Greenland, stating at Russia’s Arctic Forum in Murmansk that the matter was between the U.S. and Denmark, which governs the semi-autonomous territory. “This is an issue that concerns two specific nations and has nothing to do with us,” Putin said.
Greenland, rich in rare-earth minerals, oil, and natural gas, has been a repeated target of Trump’s expansionist rhetoric. This week, he escalated his stance, declaring the U.S. would “go as far as we have to go”—a remark that has unsettled Denmark and other allies.
Vance’s diplomatic mission is expected to face strong resistance from Greenlandic leaders, who have previously rejected U.S. overtures. The trip underscores the administration’s aggressive approach to securing strategic Arctic resources, even as it risks straining relations with NATO partners.
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