As part of his controversial visit, Vice President J.D. Vance touched down at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland on Friday, one of the most remote and secretive U.S. military installations on Earth.
This from the-sun.com.
Nicknamed “top of the world,” Pituffik is not merely a harsh posting—it is a frontline outpost of U.S. missile defense and space surveillance.
It is locked in by sea ice nine months a year and is plunged into total darkness from November to February, only accessible by aircraft.
The nearest town, Qaanaaq, lies 75 miles to the northwest.
There are no roads, no nightclubs, and for three months a year, no sun.
Yet this frozen fortress continues to serve as America’s Arctic eyes and ears—a throwback to the Cold War that has once again become a key player in a new era of great power rivalry.
Strategically perched just 947 miles south of the North Pole and 750 miles above the Arctic Circle, the isolated base plays a vital role in detecting ballistic missiles and tracking debris from decommissioned satellites.
It also boasts the northernmost deep-water port in the world.
Formerly known as Thule Air Base, Pituffik was renamed in 2023 to honour Greenlandic cultural heritage and reflect its new status as a key site for the U.S. Space Force.
Pituffik is operated by the 821st Space Base Group and remains one of America’s most vital but least-known defense assets.
The base’s location—roughly 1,500km (932 miles) from Greenland’s capital, Nuuk—is no coincidence.
The U.S. has maintained a military presence here since World War Two, when Nazi-occupied Denmark left Greenland vulnerable and the Americans stepped in to build airfields, monitor weather, and hunt German U-boats.
Today, approximately 150 U.S. Air Force and Space Force personnel are stationed at Pituffik, alongside Danish and Greenlandic staff—and the occasional polar bear.
Despite its extreme remoteness, the airfield remains operational year-round, serving as a crucial northern hub for the Pentagon and NATO.
“Why does Greenland matter?” Vice President J.D. Vance asked during a visit to the base on Friday.
He explained:
If a missile was fired by the enemy, it is the people here who will know about it first and will give us notice and tell us what is coming.
Danish defense analyst Peter Ernstved Rasmussen told The New York Times how the post is “the outermost eye of American defense.”
He described it as “irreplaceable” as it is:
[W]here the U.S. can detect a launch, calculate the trajectory and activate its missile defense systems.
Vance’s controversial visit to Pituffik—part of a wider Trump-era push to assert U.S. dominance in the Arctic—sparked political fallout in both Greenland and Denmark, as locals voiced fears of increased pressure from Washington.
The Americans were not invited by authorities in either Greenland or Denmark, and the Vice President’s attendance was announced on Tuesday, a day after Usha Vance revealed she would be visiting the island.
The vice president said:
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the initial plans for the U.S. visit “unacceptable.”
Tensions ramped up since and continue throughout the visit.
The VP and Second Lady Usha descended the steps from Air Force 2 wearing large camo-green jackets, waving to the cameras and those welcoming them.
Usha was scheduled to attend Greenland’s Great Race of the North featuring 37 dog sled drivers, but her attendance was cancelled following protests at the couple’s arrival.
Meanwhile, the country’s new Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen has said the U.S. is failing to show them the respect of an ally.
The Danish broadcaster DR reported the PM saying:
It’s a shame, but now we have a government that needs to put on its work clothes.
The trip was originally planned for Second Lady Usha Vance and was touted as “a bit of fun” but quickly became more clearly politically motivated when the Vice President joined and met with military officials.
The vice president stated:
We know Russia and China and other nations are taking an interest in the region. We’ve seen very strong evidence.
So, we need to ensure that America is leading.
Further:
What Denmark has failed to do is to secure the region as it was 30 or 40 years ago. It has failed to keep our troops and its own people safe.
And:
Our European allies have not kept up with the pace in military spending.
Vance added:
People in Greenland have an incredible opportunity here. It is far better to come under the U.S. security umbrella than the Danish security umbrella.
Trump previously sparked outrage after repeatedly claiming he wants to take control of Greenland, calling it “very important for the peace of the world.”
Further:
We have to have Greenland. It’s not a question of ‘do you think we can do without it’ We can’t.
And he hadf said he would:
Trump’s repeated comments and refusal to deny plans to take it by force have seen its residents and politicians slam the administration and protest with signs saying their land is not for sale.
In a show of unity against Trump, four of Greenland’s five parties signed a coalition agreement ahead of the arrival of the Vances stating on page one: “Greenland belongs to us.”
Under the terms of a 1951 agreement, the U.S. is entitled to visit its Pituffik base whenever it wants, as long as it notifies Greenland and Copenhagen.
Woman holding a protest sign in Nuuk, capital of Greenland.
