Recently, the White House of US has announced that Second Lady Usha Vance, along with her son and a US delegation, will visit the Danish territory from March 27 to 29. During the trip, she will explore historical sites, learn about the regions heritage, and attend the national dogsled race. It is being felt that Usha Vances Greenland Trip is stirring a controversy.

It is also felt that diplomacy often works better with charm than force, and the Trump administration seems to be taking this approach in its bid to acquire Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. The White House has announced that Second Lady Usha Vance, along with her son and a US delegation, will visit the Danish territory.

During the trip, Ms Vance will explore historical sites, learn about the regions heritage, and attend the national dogsled race. The White House has presented the trip as a cultural outreach initiative focused on learning about Greenlandic heritage and fostering unity.

Greenland Concerned

However, many Greenlanders remain unconvinced. The presence of the Second Lady, accompanied by top US national security and energy officials, has led local observers to believe that Washingtons interests go far beyond cultural appreciation. However, Vance’s visit has sparked outrage in Greenland, with Prime Minister Mte Egede calling it a “provocation” in an interview.

Prime Minister Egede shared that the visit was more about displaying power than celebrating sled racing. He suggested that the national security adviser’s presence was meant to assert dominance rather than foster goodwill. Vance, in an Instagram video, said, “Ive been reading all about it with my children, and Im amazed by the incredible skill and teamwork that it takes to participate in this race.”

Usha Vance’s visit comes amid President Trumps renewed interest in acquiring Greenland. Rich in minerals and strategically located between North America and Europe in the Arctic Ocean, Greenland has long been on Trump’s radar. Since returning to the White House, he has repeatedly expressed his desire for the US to take control of the land, even suggesting at times that force could be an option.

Trump last month shared that the Arctic  Island is “an absolute necessity” for both international freedom and US national security. Concerns about his larger territorial aspirations, which include divisive comments on annexing Canada and reclaiming the Panama Canal, have prompted this.

There is a chance that Trump may use force to retake Greenland, which is a Danish province. International observers and NATO allies are alarmed by this position. “Greenland is not for sale,” declared Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in a forceful rejection of the proposal.

Greenland’s strategic significance is acknowledged by experts. There are American military installations on the island, which is sandwiched between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, including a Space Force missile warning system. Monitoring Arctic activities, especially Russian movements, depends on its location.

However, the unity of NATO might be threatened by any attempt to seize Greenland by force. Such an invasion may trigger Article 5, which calls on NATO members to defend one another collectively.

Greenland is the world’s biggest island. Almost 80% of it is covered by the ice cap and glaciers. The ice-free area is almost as large as Sweden, but only a very small part of it is arable.

Even though Greenlandic today is the official language, major tensions between the mother language and Danish remain. The political and administrative elites predominantly speak Danish while a majority of the population 70 percent speaks only Greenlandic.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1953 Denmark formally added what was then its colony to the kingdom.

With the melting of the ice due to global warming, its abundance of mineral wealth, and its strategic position between Europe, North America and the Arctic zone, Greenland is of interest to the great powers, chiefly US President Donald Trump, who has made annexing Greenland one of his platforms.