Greenland lambasts trip by US delegation

COPENHAGEN/WASHINGTON — Greenlandic leaders criticized an upcoming trip by a high-profile US delegation to the Danish territory that President Donald Trump has suggested the US should annex.

The delegation, which will visit a United States military base and watch a dogsled race, will be led by Usha Vance, wife of US Vice-President JD Vance, and include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede called this week's visit a "provocation" and said that his caretaker government would not meet the delegation.

"Until recently, we could trust the Americans who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely," Egede told the local newspaper Sermitsiaq. "But that time is over."

The Greenlandic government is in a caretaker phase after a general election on March 11 won by the Democrats, a pro-business party that favors a slow approach to independence from Denmark.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats, called for political unity and said the visit by the US delegation during coalition talks and with municipal elections due next week, "once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people".

Visit to military base

Waltz and Wright plan to visit the Pituffik space base, the US military base in Greenland. The White House said they will get briefings from US service members there.

They will then join Vance to visit historical sites and attend the national dogsled race.

Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the US team is "confident that this visit presents an opportunity to build on partnerships that respects Greenland's self-determination and advances economic cooperation".

Trump has made US annexation of Greenland a major talking point since taking office for a second time on Jan 20. Greenland's strategic location and rich mineral resources could benefit the US.

The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced opposition to such a move.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written comment reacting to news of the visit that "this is something we take seriously".

Denmark wants to work with the United States, but it should be cooperation based on "the fundamental rules of sovereignty", she said.