United States Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday that he will travel to Greenland this Friday to visit American troops stationed along the island’s northwest coast. In a video posted to X, Vance said the visit is intended to assess security conditions and support ongoing efforts to safeguard the region against external threats.

“A lot of other countries have threatened Greenland, have threatened to use its territories and its waterways to threaten the United States, to threaten Canada, and of course, to threaten the people of Greenland,” Vance said in the video message. He emphasised the importance of reinforcing the island’s security, stating, “We wanna reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it’s important to protecting the security of the entire world.”

The trip comes amid increasing geopolitical interest in Greenland, particularly from global powers such as China and Russia. A recent intelligence report released by the U.S. administration flagged both nations’ alleged intentions to exploit the island’s strategic location for military and economic leverage.

Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has revived calls for the United States to annex Greenland, a proposal that has drawn strong opposition from Denmark, the island’s sovereign nation. Despite the controversy, the administration appears committed to strengthening its presence and influence in the Arctic region.

Vance’s visit underscores the Biden administration’s continued focus on Arctic security and signals that the U.S. views Greenland as a vital outpost in the evolving global power struggle. The Vice President’s trip will likely include briefings from military personnel and local authorities on ongoing operations and potential future threats in the area.

Observers expect that the visit may also lay the groundwork for new defense and diplomatic initiatives between Washington and Greenland, even as Denmark maintains its stance against any changes in the island’s sovereignty.