US delegation decides not to visit Greenland dog sled race, Denmark welcomes

The Danish government welcomed the United States’ decision on Wednesday (March 26) that the delegation’s visit to Greenland will be limited to a military base, without attending a famous sled dog race.

The White House announced on Tuesday that the U.S. delegation will now be led by Vice President JD Vance and will only visit the U.S. Thule Air Base located in Pituffik in northern Greenland, instead of attending the annual major sporting event – the sled dog race.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated, “This is clearly a de-escalation as the Americans have canceled the visit to the Greenlandic community, which is very positive. As for their visit to their own base in Pituffik, we have nothing to object to.”

Just before the high-profile visit by the U.S. delegation originally led by Vance’s wife Usha Vance, Danish and Greenlandic leaders expressed their opposition earlier on Tuesday. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that Usha’s planned participation in the sled dog race was part of “unacceptable pressure” on the Danish semi-autonomous territory. Greenland’s Premier Mute Egede also said that the U.S.’s stance towards Greenland is “very assertive,” emphasizing that Greenland is not for sale and its future should be decided by its people.

Organizers of the sled dog race announced on Wednesday that they had received funding from the U.S. consulate in Nuuk. White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated on Tuesday that the purpose of the U.S. delegation is to “understand the culture, history, and people of Greenland.”

Greenland holds significant strategic importance for the U.S. military and its ballistic missile early warning system, as it lies on the shortest route from Europe to North America.

Under an agreement signed between the U.S. and Denmark in 1951, as long as Denmark and Greenland are notified, the U.S. has the right to freely operate and construct military bases in Greenland.

(Reference: Reuters)