JD Vance gave a speech in Greenland on Friday that had a lot of people seeing red.
During the speech at Pituffik Space Base, a U.S. Space Force base, the vice president made it clear that President Donald Trump really wants Greenland really bad and that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland’s security.
“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said, according to the Associated Press. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.”
Vance then suggested the U.S. has “no option” but to make efforts to ensure Greenland’s security, and he encouraged the territory to push for independence from Denmark.
The Trump White House has said it wants Greenland for security reasons as well as for access to its rare earth minerals and other natural resources.
Although Vance suggested U.S. control of Greenland was necessary to protect the territory from encroachment from China and Russia in his remarks, many people on social media found one sentence particularly shocking as it seemed to suggest that Trump’s desires are the important thing here.
“The president said we have to have Greenland, and I think that we do have to be more serious about the security of Greenland,” Vance said. “We can’t just ignore this place. We can’t just ignore the president’s desires, but, most importantly, we can’t ignore what I said earlier [about] the Russian and Chinese encroachment in Greenland. We have to do more.”
REPORTER: The president said today, 'We have to have Greenland.' By being here today, are you also conveying that message?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 28, 2025
JD VANCE: We can't just ignore the president's desires ... this island is not safe. pic.twitter.com/BgqzpGDh7F
Many people on social media noted that the part of his comment about not ignoring the president’s desires sure seemed kinda authoritarian.
And, yes, people had thoughts.
"we can't just ignore the president's desires" really captures the zeitgeist doesn't it https://t.co/T68cjjgRSA
— Justin Vogt (@Justin_Vogt) March 28, 2025
The president's desires? WTF is wrong with these people? https://t.co/Ix1yZwm1fA
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) March 28, 2025
”We cannot just ignore the president’s desires”… you can’t just have countries because you want them. Greenland won’t be part of the US. Canada won’t be part of the US, find a new lunacy to hold on to. https://t.co/4D7SygNmtj
— Michael Cranny ???????????????????????? (@andro656) March 28, 2025
"We can't just ignore the president's desires."
— Jay Bookman (@jaysbookman) March 28, 2025
I think we can, though. I really think we can. https://t.co/8dNBsNem85
"We cannot ignore the President`s desires." Are you fucking kidding me, @JDVance. That is PRECISELY what all sane people around the world should do.
— Dave Sloane (@stratblaster) March 28, 2025
"JD VANCE: We can't just ignore the president's desires ... this island is not safe."
— Dr David Berger, aBsuRdiSTe cROnickLeR (@YouAreLobbyLud) March 28, 2025
Nice island you got there. Be a shame if anything happened to it... https://t.co/mrYgaVQtVJ
Is he serious? When did we start viewing Presidents as Kings or Dictators? “We cannot just ignore the president’s desires” https://t.co/Ca7y2WOmSA
— Robbi Fahey (@robbi_fahey) March 28, 2025