VP Vance Makes Historic Visit to US Facility in Greenland, Rallies Troops

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the U.S. Space Force Guardians in Greenland. He spoke at Pituffik Space Base. He was full of encouraging words for our troops on that faraway island.

He appealed directly to the people of Denmark and Greenland.

The Vice President said:

It is very easy to understand what we are saying to Denmark. You haven’t done well by the Greenlanders. You have not invested enough in Greenland’s people and its security infrastructure. This must change. Because it hasn’t changed, President Trump’s Greenland policy is what it currently is. The first Trump administration saw significant investment in Arctic security. This will continue under President Trump for the next four-year period.

This is a very interesting comment directed at Denmark. It states, in essence, that Denmark neglects Greenland. It is likely that the sentence “That needs to change” was deliberately written in its own right.

The Vice President continued:

Let me make one last comment before I hand it over to the press about the people of Greenland. You know I’m the Colonel, base commander who first came to Greenland as a second Lieutenant. I think, Colonel, this is now your second duty station, and we are proud of you. We’re also proud of the rest of you who serve and help keep us safe. You know, I’ve heard a lot of praise for the respect our American troops have shown the Greenlandic people. We made and created shelters for hunters and dog-sledders. We found ways to give traditional tribal land over to local populations so that they can live according to their values.

This segment features the vice president doing a little pivot. “Look what America did for Greenland.”

And, finally:

As the president stated in his State of the Union Address, we respect the right of Greenland to self-determination – sorry, of Greenlanders. We believe in self-determination for the people of Greenland and their population. Our argument is simple. Our argument is not with Greenlanders, who are amazing and have a great opportunity, but with the Danish leadership, which has underinvested both in Greenland and in its security infrastructure. This must be changed. The United States has a policy that this will change. I am proud to stand with so many brave Americans and learn more about the security mission and what you do every day. For that, I am grateful. I am even more grateful for your service. I love you all. I’m very proud of you and I know President Trump will stand by you for the remainder of his presidency.

The presentation was made to our Space Force Guardians, who inexplicably wore camouflage uniforms. However, it was directed toward the people of Greenland. Vice President Vance was very clear in his message: America respects Greenland’s right to self-determination, but there are many reasons why the United States is a better choice than Denmark.

The vice president also spoke about Greenland’s place in today’s geopolitical landscape. Entry into the Arctic has become more important.

Vice President said:

There is strong evidence that both China and Russia are interested in Greenland. Why wouldn’t the Russians and Chinese be interested in Greenland, you ask? Greenland is a beautiful country with incredible people. Its geographical location makes it important to the national security of the United States. We need to realize that for the sake of world security we must have a president that will protect the American interest. This means that we should ensure that Greenland remains safe.

Greenland’s press is progressing. The administration is sending out a clear and loud message to Greenland that it has been neglected by Denmark and would do better under the United States. America’s message is also clear on self-determination; it wants Greenlanders to make their own decisions. Self-determination is the only option since Denmark has refused to accept the United States’ offers to purchase Greenland in the past.

Greenland has and will continue to have a huge strategic significance. Greenland is the Atlantic Ocean’s gateway to the Arctic and is attracting increasing attention from not only the United States but also, as the vice-president pointed out, Russia and China. The Trump administration is likely to continue to make this appeal to Greenland’s people. If they don’t agree to join the United States we can expect to see negotiations about an increased U.S. presence on the Island.

Greenland has important mineral and energy reserves.

Geopolitics is an exciting facet at the moment, and it will only get more so.