N UUK, Greenland — U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife are due to visit an American military base in Greenland on Friday in a trip that was scaled back after an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were irked that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday accused Denmark of not doing a good job keeping Greenland safe and suggested the United States would better protect the semi-autonomous Danish territory that President Donald Trump has pressed to take over.

JD Vance criticized Denmark for neglecting Greenland's people and security during a visit to Pituffik Space Base, and Greenlandic officials had mixed reactions.

Vance, who only decided in the last few days to make the trip, said Denmark had neglected its territory and that America could no longer ignore Russian and Chinese alleged designs on the island. “Our message to Denmark is very simple,” Vance said.

US vice president JD Vance has been issued a warning by a Danish government minister, as Donald Trump's administration continues to express an interest in owning Greenland, despite it being a territory of Denmark.

Denmark's prime minister pledged to support Greenland against U.S. President Donald Trump's expressions of interest in acquiring the Danish semi-autonomous territory as she landed in Nuuk on Wednesday for talks with its incoming government.

Denmark's prime minister will aim to shore up a united front with Greenland on Thursday during a visit to the autonomous territory, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to