Trump doubles down on acquiring Greenland for 'world peace' amid Vance visit

Although the Danish territory has said it is seeking independence from Copenhagen and isn't interested in becoming part of the U.S., Trump has repeatedly offered, dating back to his first administration, a desire to secure Greenland for the U.S. as Russian and Chinese presence grows in the Arctic. 

"If you look at Greenland right now, if you look at the waterways, you have Chinese and Russian ships all over the place, and we're not going to be able to do that," Trump told reporters Friday. "We're not relying on Denmark or anybody to take care of that situation. And we're not talking about peace for the United States, we're talking about world peace, we're talking about international security." 

The Vances, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, arrived in Greenland on Friday to visit Pituffik Space Base, the Department of Defense's northernmost military installation. The base is home to the Space Force's 821st Space Base Group to conduct missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations.

Despite the Trump administration's push to secure Greenland, leaders in Denmark and Greenland remain staunchly against the president's wishes, even as Greenland's prime minister has called for independence from Copenhagen. 

But the Trump administration has pointed out that Denmark has faced backlash for its treatment of indigenous people from Greenland. A group of indigenous women from Greenland sued the Danish government in May 2024 and accused Danish health officials of fitting them with intrauterine devices without their knowledge between the 1960s and 1970s.

Both Denmark and Greenland initiated an investigation into the matter in 2022, and the report is expected for release this year.

A senior White House official said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Denmark's treatment of the people of Greenland will receive ample attention during Vance's visit. 

"Unfortunately, Danish leaders have spent decades mistreating the Greenlandic people, treating them like second-class citizens and allowing infrastructure on the island to fall into disrepair. Expect the Vice President to emphasize these points as well," the official said Thursday. 

Greenland is rich in natural resources, including oil and natural gas, and both Russia and China have bolstered their presence in the region in recent years.