Greenlanders are making it clear that they don’t want the Trump administration anywhere near the self-governing territory.
President Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Gov. Jeff Landry, was disinvited from its annual dogsled race—a public snub that came as the president floats a takeover of the autonomous region in Denmark.
The Greenland Dogsledding Association said in a statement Sunday that it was “informed that the tourist company that invited Governor Jeff Landry from the United States has withdrawn its invitation.”
The annual cultural celebration pits 30 of the best dog-sledding teams against each other. The event is set in snowcapped Qasigiannguit, a small town in western Greenland, on March 28.
The race is a culturally significant event for the island’s primarily native population. University of Greenland associate professor, Manumina Lund Jensen, told AFP the cultural event is “very important for the Greenlanders, and it is a very emotional journey if you go there.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
Last year, Second Lady Usha Vance was slated to attend the prestigious event, a visit that drew swift criticism from Danish authorities. But officials questioned the timing and intent of the stopover, noting that Vance’s trip coincided with a separate visit by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Danish authorities criticized the visit and were accusatory in highlighting the underlying tone of the stopover, as Vance’s visit occurred alongside another by National Security Advisor Mike Walz.
Mute Egede, who was prime minister at the time, said he viewed the unofficial visits as part of a broader pressure campaign by the United States to acquire the territory from Denmark.
“[Walz] is Trump’s confidential and closest adviser, and his presence in Greenland alone will certainly make the Americans believe in Trump’s mission, and the pressure will increase after the visit,” Egede said at the time.
Local organizers univnited Vance from teh race, and she and her husband, Vice President J.D. Vance, visited a military base in Greenland instead.
Landry’s disinvitation is just the latest escalation in the fight for the future of the icy territory. In the last week, the president has called for Danes to give up their hold on Greenland, offering up individual payouts to civilians and threatening military intervention.
Both Denmark and the island’s residents have refused to acquiesce to his demands. And various NATO countries have mobilized additional troops to the territory to make clear that the alliance will back up Denmark’s existing right to the land.
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