JD Vance Again Touts Greenland Annexation During Impromptu Visit, Says Denmark 'Hasn't Done a Good Job' At Keeping It Safe

Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Friday his support for U.S. annexation of Greenland during a press conference at Pituffik Space Base on the island's northwestern coast. He also took several jabs at Denmark's stewardship of the territory, arguing that the Danish government has failed to adequately invest in the island's security and infrastructure.

Speaking to reporters alongside his wife Usha, the vice president said that "the story of Greenland over the past 20 years when it comes to security is that we've underinvested in the infrastructure." He noted that when he initially made similar statements "there was a lot of criticism from Denmark for saying the obvious, which is that Denmark has not done a good job at keeping Greenland safe."

Vance acknowledged Denmark's past military cooperation with the United States but dismissed its relevance to the current security situation:

"Recognizing that there are important security partnerships in the past does not mean that we can't have disagreements with allies in the present about how to preserve our shared security for the future, and that's what this is about. There is no amount of bullying, no amount of obfuscating, no amount of confusing the issue. Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland"

In another passage of the press conference, Vance outlined the strategic importance of Greenland, emphasizing that U.S. troops stationed there monitor missile threats and protect Arctic corridors . "We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an interest in Arctic passageways and naval channels," he said, adding that rival nations are also pursuing mineral rights in the region. "If the U.S. does not take an interest in Greenland, other nations will."

Although Vance reaffirmed the Trump administration's position on Greenland's annexation, he then insisted that the U.S. was not considering military action:

"Look, the president said, clearly he doesn't think that military force is going to be necessary, but he absolutely believes that Greenland is an important part of the security, not just of the United States, but of the world"

The vice president further argued that Greenland's current governance leaves it "extremely vulnerable" and suggested that closer ties with the U.S. would provide both security and economic benefits. "We could make them much more secure, we could do a lot more protection, and I think they'd fare a lot better economically as well."

The visit to the U.S. military installation came amid controversy over the original itinerary. Usha Vance had initially planned a cultural visit, but protests and political tensions led to a shift in plan, as CNN reports. The White House has denied that the change was influenced by planned demonstrations, instead citing logistical concerns and Greenland's ongoing government formation.