WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Second lady plans a trip to , at a time when President has suggested the United States should take control over the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of American ally Denmark.
Vance will leave on Thursday and return Saturday, according to her office. Vance and one of her three children will be part of a U.S. delegation that will 鈥渧isit historic sites鈥� and 鈥渓earn about Greenlandic heritage.鈥�
Media outlets in Greenland and Denmark reported that Vance would be accompanied by Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz. The White House and the National Security Council did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump had mused during his first term about buying the world鈥檚 largest island, even as Denmark, a NATO ally, insisted it wasn鈥檛 for sale. The people of Greenland also have firmly rejected Trump's plans.
Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that Trump 鈥渄oesn't care鈥� what the Europeans think.
He said Denmark is 鈥渘ot doing its job鈥� with Greenland and 鈥渘ot being a good ally,鈥� and 鈥渋f that means that we need to take more territorial interest in Greenland that is what President Trump is going to do,鈥� Vance said on Fox News' 鈥淪unday Morning Futures.鈥�
"Because he doesn鈥檛 care about what the Europeans scream at us, he cares about putting the interests of American citizens first," Vance said.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has repeatedly said that the U.S. will come to control Greenland while insisting he supports the idea for strategic national security reasons 鈥� not with an eye toward American expansionism.
鈥淚 think we will have it,鈥� Trump said of Greenland shortly after beginning his second term on Jan. 20. The U.S. already has a military base on Greenland and the president's eldest son, , .
On her visit, Usha Vance will attend the Avannaata Qimussersu, Greenland鈥檚 national dogsled race, featuring about 37 mushers and 444 dogs. The statement said Vance and the U.S. delegation 鈥渁re excited to witness this monumental race and celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity.鈥�
During a recent Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, 鈥淒enmark鈥檚 very far away鈥� from Greenland, and questioned whether that country still had a right to claim the world鈥檚 largest island as part of its kingdom.
鈥淎 boat landed there 200 years ago or something. And they say they have rights to it,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if that鈥檚 true. I don鈥檛 think it is, actually.鈥�
All five parties in Greenland鈥檚 parliament last week rejecting Trump's remarks. Denmark has recognized Greenland鈥檚 right to independence at a time of its choosing.
Beyond his focus on Greenland, Trump has to retake that country's canal, said that and suggested that U.S. interests could assume control of the Gaza Strip from Israel and redevelop it as .
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Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Will Weissert, The Associated Press
