Vance in Greenland to Denmark: 'You Have Not Done a Good Job by the People of Greenland' (March 28, 2025)

Vice President JD Vance flew to an American base in the Arctic and delivered a blunt message to Denmark. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland, you have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change,” Vance said at Pituffik Space Base on March 28, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

“We can’t just bury our head in the sand — or, in Greenland, bury our head in the snow — and pretend that the Chinese are not interested in this very large landmass. We know that they are,” he said [1].

The video above shows Vance with U.S. troops at Pituffik Space Base on March 28, 2025. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project and Military Times [1][2].

”The Coldest Place I’ve Ever Been”

Vance opened with a joke for the Guardians and airmen. “I heard you guys love speeches, so I’ve got about 90 minutes of prepared remarks here,” he said, as the troops laughed [1].

“I think it’s probably the coldest place I’ve ever been. But you guys manage to do a great job, despite the weather,” Vance said [1].

He was joined by his wife, second lady Usha Vance, and by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah [1].

”If a Missile Was Fired”

Vance explained why the base matters. “And if — God forbid, to my fellow Americans, if a missile was fired from an enemy country or an enemy submarine into the United States, it is the people here before us who would give notice to our brave men and women further south in the United States to let people know what was coming and, God willing, to try to shoot it down and prepare for it,” he said [1].

“We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways and Arctic naval routes and, indeed, in the minerals of the Arctic territories,” Vance said [1].

“This is about shipping lanes. This is about energy. This is about fisheries,” Waltz said [1].

”Denmark Has Not Kept Pace”

“They haven’t kept pace with military spending, and Denmark has not kept pace in devoting the resources necessary to keep this base, to keep our troops, and, in my view, to keep the people of Greenland safe from a lot of very aggressive incursions from Russia, from China, and from other nations,” Vance said [1].

He answered critics who pointed to the Danes who died fighting alongside Americans in the war on terror. “Well, look, we obviously honor the sacrifice of our Danish friends in the war on terror 20 years ago, just as, for example, the French honor the sacrifice of Americans in Normandy 80 years ago,” Vance said [1].

Of China, he said: “They’ve taken steps to put Greenland in ridiculous debt traps to invest and exploit the resources here, and we know that they’re sending a lot of military resources here.” [1]

“Their Security Is Very Much Our Security”

“Yes, the people of Greenland are going to have self-determination,” Vance said. He said he hoped they would partner with America, because “we’re the only nation on Earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security, because their security is very much our security, as these brave Americans show.” [1]

Greenlanders would be better off, he said, “under the United States’ security umbrella than you have been under Denmark’s security umbrella.” [1]

“Donald Trump Style”

Asked about military force, Vance said: “We do not think that military force is ever going to be necessary. We think this makes sense. And because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to be able to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America.” [1]

“And what we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose, through self-determination, to become independent of Denmark, and then we’re going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there,” he said [1].

”They Just Don’t Have the Cards”

Asked about Canada’s threats to answer Trump’s tariffs, Vance said: “There is no way that Canada can win a trade war with the United States.” [1]

“The president ran on this, and he said very clearly that we’re done being the piggy bank of the entire world,” he said [1].

By the Numbers

1951: the year of the U.S.-Denmark defense treaty, per Waltz [1].
About nine months: how long winter lasts in Greenland, per Vance [1].
A year: a tour at Pituffik, away from family, per Lee [1].
40 years: of a “failed” consensus on rivals’ encroachment, per Vance [1].

What Happened Next

The Pentagon moved Greenland under Northern Command. On June 17, 2025, the Defense Department shifted Greenland from U.S. European Command to U.S. Northern Command, which defends the U.S. homeland, Military Times reported [2].

“[This] change will strengthen the Joint Force’s ability to defend the U.S. homeland, contributing to a more robust defense of the western hemisphere and deepening relationships with Arctic allies and partners,” the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson wrote [2].

For Trump on Greenland with NATO’s Mark Rutte two weeks earlier, see HYGO News’ page on March 13, 2025. For Trump with Canada’s Mark Carney, see the page on May 6, 2025.