The American vice-president last night predicted that Groenlanders would choose the independence of Denmark.
In a challenging speech during a fleeting visit to an American base on Greenland, JD Vance has warned in recent years to threaten Russian and Chinese activities in the North Pole area.
He said that Donald Trump was right to talk about taking over the territory, which has been under Danish control for three centuries.
But he played the prospect that American troops were sent to take the island by force.
“The president has clearly said that he does not think that military violence will be needed, but he absolutely believes that Greenland is an important part of safety, not only from the United States, but also of the world and of course also the people of Greenland,” he said.
Mr. VANCE made the controversial trip to Greenland with his wife Usha but they had to plan for an excursion to a traditional race with dog sled today after local protests.
He dined with American soldiers on the Pituffik military base in the North Pole area north of the island, held by America since 1951.
He told them: “Denmark did not do a good job to keep Greenland safe … We cannot bury our heads in the sand – or in this case in the snow – and pretend that the Chinese are not interested in this country mass.”
Greenlander Jorgen Boassen is a passionate supporter of US President Donald Trump and says that American involvement in the region will stimulate the local economy
However, Mr. Boassen's position is not popular in his home country and he claims that he was attacked in a bar and had death threats because of his attitude
Other Groenlanders, however, remain non -free that their country is 'not for sale' despite the plans of Donald Trump
The vice-president added: “What we think is going to happen is that the Groenlanders, by self-determination, choose to become independent of Denmark, and then we will have conversations with the people in Greenland from there.”
Before he flew back to the US after just a few hours on the island, he could not explain how Greenland would afford independence-which is the long-term goal of the new coalition government-without his strong Danish subsidy.
President Trump spoke in the White House yesterday and strengthened his ambitions and said: “We need Greenland. It is very important that we must have Greenland for international security.
“If you look at the waterways, you have Chinese and Russian ships everywhere … We don't trust Denmark or someone else to take care of that situation.”
In the icy capital Nuuk of Greenland, the opposition grows against Mr Trump's extraordinary annexation plan. In the meantime, a cold is setting up about the small minority that the ambitions of America supports.
“I was attacked in a bar and had death threats,” said Jorgen Boassen, the most prominent American backers, during a dinner of whale meat, reindeer and chips.
“The police are investigating,” he said, while electric-blue 'growers' or mini-theybergs on the background passed by.
One of these threats, received on Facebook, had a clear local taste: “There will be a time when I will feed you on the polar bears,” the bricklayer that becomes lobbyist who believes that America will stimulate the economy was warned.
Vice-president JD Vance yesterday paid a fleeting visit to an American base on Greenland, where he warned of Russian and Chinese activities in the North Pole area
During his visit at Vance with soldiers on the Pituffik Space Base of the US Army after he had reduced the travel schedule for his journey because nobody wanted to meet the vice-president or his wife
Only a matter of weeks ago, Groenlanders paraded banners and read 'Yankee Go Home' for the Vance trip
Caps in the style of Trump's 'Make America Great Again' hats were changed to 'Make America Go Away' by protesting against Groenlanders
'Greenland is for the thousands of the Groenlanders who sang in the snowy country on 15 March
Daily Mail reporter Neil Sears in Nuuk, Greenland, prior to the proposed visit by Vice President JD Vance
The political temperature has risen all week. About which was initially discussed as a 'soft-power' trip to Greenland by Mrs. Vance and one of the sons of the couple turned into a diplomatic row.
It turned out that the vice-president's wife would be accompanied by the American national security adviser Mike Waltz-Die was not officially invited-a plan described by the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as unacceptable.
Eventually Mrs. Vance would be accompanied by both Mr Waltz and her husband, but the visit to the Avanaata Qimussersu Dog-Sled Race was canceled.
After talking about demonstrations during the race on the military basic of vital importance as closest to Russia in the American anti-rocketing weather system and around the small airport in Nuuk.
Fourteen days ago, Greenland saw the biggest demonstration ever at the gates of the American consulate.
About 2500 people from an island population of 57,000 (18,000 of them in the capital) gathered to explain their opposition against a Trump takeover. Organizers had expected a few hundred protesters.
The demonstrators – mostly native Inuit who form the majority of the population – sang, 'Greenland is the land of Groenlanders' while they are waving plates and placards 'Greenland is not for sale'.
At the consulate, the Marchers planted Greenland flags in the snow. Door-to-house examinations commissioned by the US to assess Greenlandic enthusiasm on a takeover produced a similar message: 'Nok there nug' Danish for 'enough is enough'. Mr Trump should withdraw.
About 2500 people from an island population of 57,000 (18,000 of them in the capital) met to explain their opposition against a Trump takeover
Vance visited Greenland together with his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance
Vance speaks on Friday at the Pituffik Space Base of the US Army in Greenland
Colorful houses sprinkled with snow in Nuuk, the capital of and most densely populated city in Greenland
: Sunrise about Nuuk in Greenland prior to the proposed space base visit by JD Vance
Yet the American president has not withdrawn to his amazing insistence that America will acquire the vast territory of Greenland – and hid the lucrative minerals under the ice – 'somehow'.
Vladimir Putin escalated the tensions by saying that he stimulated the troop figures at the North Pole and hinted an Arctic War. “We are talking about serious plans on the American side with regard to Greenland,” he said.
'NATO countries increasingly indicate the distant north as a springboard for possible conflicts. The importance of the Arctic, both for Russia and for the whole world, is growing. The battle in this region is intensifying. '
Such a fight is disturbing. In Nuuk, Taxi driver Lars Fredrik, 44, said: 'I wonder this week:' Is America going to take over by military power, his combat aircraft and warships that suddenly arrive here? “We all think so. '
Fredrik, an Inuit Father of three, is not a fan of the 300-year domination of Denmark, although Greenland had a growing autonomy since the home rule was granted in 1979 (today Denmark checks foreign policy and offers an annual subsidy of approximately £ 420 million.)
Campaigner Aviaja Fontain, 39, a freelance translator and mother of three, believes that Mr Trump will continue to pursue his ambitions.
Fierce crucial about injustice from the past by the Danes – including forced contraception for Inuit -Women and the huge profits from mines coupled to aluminum production – she is still on it: “We don't want to be colonized by America a second time.”
Her mother, retired social worker Hedvig Freriksen, 64, added: 'I am not ashamed that we did not have a traditional Greenlandic welcome at the vans. Trump threatens to take over – we have to take a position against that. '
A taxi driver who asked not to be mentioned gave a farewell shot when Mr. Vance flew. “I wish he was eaten by polar bears,” he said.
