As Trump stands firm on Greenland acquisition, JD Vance limits visit to military base: Why Pituffik matters now more than ever

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US Vice President JD Vance has announced that on Friday he would accompany his wife Usha Vance to the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the Danish self-governing island coveted by President Donald Trump.

The previous schedule of Vance to lead a US delegation’s uninvited visited to the island was severely criticised by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's outgoing PM Mute Egede, following which the visit was restricted to a US military base.

JD and Usha Vance will now only travel to the Pituffik base to visit US Space Force members based there and "check out what's going on with the security" of Greenland, JD Vance said in a video.

This visit, intended to address Arctic security concerns, has been perceived by Greenlandic and Danish officials as an unwelcome assertion of American interest in the region. Since returning to power in January,

Trump has insisted he wants to take over Greenland for national security purposes, refusing to rule out the use of force to do so.

Rasmus Jarlov, a Danish lawmaker and spokesperson on Greenlandic Affairs for the Conservatives, wrote on X that the new schedule means the Vances will avoid any confrontations with Greenlanders.

Vance is allowed to visit the space base, said Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, because of a 1951 agreement between Denmark and the US regarding the defense of Greenland.

"What is controversial here is all about the timing," he said. "Greenland and Denmark have stated very clearly that they don't want the US to visit right now, when Greenland doesn't have a government in place," following the election earlier this month. Coalition negotiations are ongoing.

The vice president said he didn't want to let his wife "have all that fun by herself" and said he plans to visit the Space Force. Vance said that other countries have threatened Greenland as well as menacing the United States and Canada Vance said leaders in Denmark and North America had "ignored" Greenland for "far too long." During his first term, Trump floated the idea of purchasing the world's largest island, even as Denmark insisted it wasn't for sale. The people of Greenland also have firmly rejected Trump's plans.

As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.

Beyond military considerations, Greenland is rich in natural resources, including rare earth minerals essential for modern technologies. The melting ice due to climate change is also opening new maritime routes, further increasing the island's strategic and economic importance.

The Pituffik Space Base serves as the U.S. military's northernmost installation, playing a crucial role in missile defense and space surveillance. The base's location allows for monitoring of potential missile launches and tracking of satellites, contributing significantly to U.S. and allied security operations. This early warning capability is essential for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Pituffik plays a vital role in tracking satellites and other objects in orbit. This space surveillance capability is crucial for maintaining situational awareness in space and protecting U.S. space assets.

The base's location in Greenland allows the U.S. to maintain a presence in this critical area, where competition with nations like Russia and China is increasing. The base helps the US to project power into the arctic region.