Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States and wife of Vice President JD Vance, is packing her bags for Greenland this week, heading out Thursday, March 27, 2025, with her son in tow. The White House dropped the news yesterday, March 23, calling it a cultural trip to soak up Greenland’s history and catch the Avannaata Qimussersu, the island’s big dogsled race. But with President Donald Trump doubling down on his push to snag Greenland for the U.S., this visit’s got folks raising eyebrows—and tempers—across the Atlantic.
A Trip With a Twist
Usha’s three-day jaunt—she’s back Saturday, March 29—sounds like a family outing on paper. She’s taking one of her three kids (no word yet on which one—Ewan, 7, Vivek, 4, or little Mira, 3) to check out old sites, dig into Greenlandic traditions, and watch 37 mushers and 444 dogs tear across the snow. “She’s thrilled to see this epic race and cheer on Greenland’s spirit,” the White House said, keeping it light. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is tagging along too, though, planning a stop at the Pituffik Space Base. That’s where it gets sticky—Trump’s been loud about wanting Greenland for “national security,” and Waltz’s side trip isn’t sitting easy with locals.
Trump’s been at it since his first term, floating the idea of buying the Danish territory, and now he’s back at it, saying on March 4, “We’re gonna get it, one way or another,”. Usha’s visit—her third overseas hop this year after Paris and India—lands right in that storm. “It’s about heritage,” her office insists, but Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede isn’t buying it, calling it a “provocation” in a chat with Sermitsiaq, per The Guardian.
Greenland Pushes Back
Greenland’s not rolling out the welcome mat. Egede, who’s been in caretaker mode since his party lost an election on March 11, fired off, “We’re not for sale and can’t just be taken,”. He’s ticked about Waltz especially—“What’s a security guy doing here? It’s a power play,” he told local press. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen chimed in too, saying she’s all for U.S. ties but not if it messes with “sovereignty rules,”. Just last week, 800 folks marched in Nuuk under “Greenland belongs to us,” showing the mood’s tense.
X’s buzzing with it too. @BobDF5 wrote, “Go home we don't want you here you greedy Americans. This will speak volumes from Greenland's population.” @LiquoriceScots posted, “I hope they are not allowed to land at the airport and have to hightail it back to MarALardo with minimal fuel”
What’s Usha Up To?
Usha, a Yale-educated lawyer turned Second Lady, isn’t new to the spotlight—her speech at the 2024 RNC put her on the map. This trip’s her gig, not JD’s, and she’s playing it cool, posting on Instagram yesterday about reading up on the dogsled race with her kids. “It’s teamwork and skill—I can’t wait,” she said, smiling with a book in hand. The U.S. sponsors the race, so there’s that angle, but with Waltz in the mix, it’s tough to see this as just a cultural field trip.
Trump’s son Don Jr. hit Greenland in January, stirring the pot before his dad’s second term kicked off. Now Usha’s turn’s got folks wondering—is this a charm offensive or a chess move? Greenland’s got minerals and a prime Arctic spot, stuff Waltz calls “critical” for the U.S. Denmark’s not budging, though, and neither is Greenland.
As Usha and her son gear up to land Thursday, the vibe’s more frosty than the ice they’ll see. “They’re excited to celebrate Greenlandic unity,” the White House says, but with Trump’s shadow looming, it’s a tough sell. X user @antifakate nailed it “Usha’s dragging her kid into this mess—why?” For now, all eyes are on Greenland, waiting to see how this visit plays out.