Second Lady Usha Vance is set to attend a traditional Greenlandic dogsled competition this month, according to reports from local media. Her appearance at the Avannaata Qimussersua event is expected to begin with a midweek arrival and will include the March 29 race in Sisimiut.
Though the visit has been described as unofficial, Greenland’s political figures are expressing concerns about its timing. The island is preparing for municipal elections on April 1, and some have called the trip a disruption.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is expected to accompany Vance for at least part of the journey. The two may also stop at the U.S. air base in the northern part of the island, though no formal announcement has been made from Washington.
On 12. March, 2025 J.D. Vance says :
“If … we need to take more territorial interest in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do … He doesn't care about what the Europeans scream at us.
Now, J.D.Vance's wife is on her way Greenland to watch the annual dog sled… pic.twitter.com/WzI6LdE5DZ
— Orla Joelsen (@OJoelsen) March 22, 2025
Sisimiut’s mayor declined to meet with the U.S. visitors, saying the election campaign was his top focus. He told Sermitsiaq he had suggested postponing any discussions until after the local vote was completed.
Aaja Chemnitz, who represents Greenland in the Danish Parliament, said the timing of the visit was inappropriate. She accused the Trump administration of interfering in local affairs and undermining Greenland’s right to manage its own decisions.
President Donald Trump has made several statements about Greenland this year, including suggesting that it would become part of the U.S. eventually. During a meeting with NATO’s top official, he referred to Greenland’s importance for monitoring threats from countries like China and Russia.
U.S. support for the dogsled race has included funding from the consulate in Nuuk. While the Biden administration avoided such involvement, the Trump White House has made no secret of its renewed interest in the Arctic island.
The January visit by Donald Trump Jr. and conservative activist Charlie Kirk followed a similar pattern. It was conducted privately but added to speculation about broader goals involving Greenland’s strategic position.
