de Nevers Comments on Greenland-US Relations, Usha Vance’s Visit in Nexstar Article

March 31, 2025

Nexstar Media Group

Renée de Nevers

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict & Collaboration

Europe

Federal

International Affairs

Nexstar Media Group

Renée de Nevers

Second Lady Usha Vance announced a surprise visit to Greenland on her official Instagram account last week, with the intention of visiting the national dogsled race and historical sites.

Greenland Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede called the visit “very aggressive” in an interview with a local newspaper.

Renée de Nevers, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, says the U.S. is ignoring norms of international diplomacy.

“I think a lot of people in Greenland see this as very disrespectful,” de Nevers says. “Unprecedented for such a high level delegation to travel to another country without an invitation and without much warning of any sort.”

She points out Greenland recently held an election where voters overwhelmingly signaled a desire for independence from Denmark.

“I think there are plenty of people in Greenland who would like to have good and close ties with the United States. But that doesn’t mean they want to be part of the United States. They want independence,” de Nevers says.

Read more in the Nexstar article, “Usha Vance to visit Greenland.”